Qiantong Ancient Town

Qiantong Ancient Town covers an area of 68 square kilometers, with a population of 26,000. It is an ancient town in the south of the Yangtze River with a long history, profound cultural accumulation, and a unique geographical environment. It is the largest settlement of the Tong surname in the south of the Yangtze River, preserving a complete set of Ming and Qing architectural complexes. It has been named as Zhejiang Province's Historical and Cultural Famous Town and Zhejiang Province's Tourism Town. Located 14 kilometers southwest of Ninghai County, Ningbo City, it is one of the best-preserved towns in the eastern Zhejiang region that embodies Confucian culture. In 2007, it was awarded the title of China's Historical and Cultural Famous Town. The local Tong family has been diligent in farming and learning since settling here during the Shao Ding period of the Southern Song Dynasty. At the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, Tong Bolai twice invited Fang Xiaoru to lecture at the Shijing Jingshe, laying the foundation for a family of poetry and etiquette. Since then, following the virtues of optimizing the environment by diverting water and planting trees, cultivating and reading, and educating future generations, generations of talents have emerged, forming an ancient cultural style of 'small bridges and flowing water in every household, and ancient alleys and courtyards hiding art and literature.' This place is also the hometown of Tong Baoxuan, the commander-in-chief of the Zhejiang province during the Xinhai Revolution, and the base of the Taishu Revolution. Attractions available for touring include well-preserved ancient houses, old streets, folk museums, Lushan Mountain, Shijing Mountain, Filial Daughter Lake, Chai Wanying Cypress, and Xu Xiake's ancient travel path.