Re-Route to Feng Huang Ancient City

Feng Huang was a new discovery for me halfway through the China leg somewhere in Yichang. I cant really remember how I found out of Feng Huang but it was somewhere along the line of wechat channel or instragram reel or maybe even a pop up advert. 

Once I had a slight info about Feng Huang, more research uncovered that it was actually a popular tourist destination that is paired with Zhangjiajie.

Fenghuang Phoenix Ancient City - China

Irony really, for when I was plotting route few months back in Malaysia, after Zhangjiajie was always a black hole not really sure how to proceed and just picking the next city on the map. The things you discover by accident while travelling trully brings new excitement. 

So from Zhangjiejie we took the train to Fenghuang and at the exit was ambush by a pretty girl wearing a traditional dress (I would later know it of the Miao ethnicity) trying to sell us train tickets or metro tickets to the city center itself.

Mini Maglev Train in Fenghuang

It turns out to be another Meglev train built entirely to boost tourism for Fenghuang Ancient City. This meglev however was slow type but still amazing that the cumbersome technology was used in such manner. 

Fenghuang itself attracted many tourist from all around China as it is not only a scenic city by the river with many haphazard old building architecture but also it was part of the minority group Miao with its charming traditional costumes and culture.

Fenghuang Pheonix Ancient City - China

Fenghuang Pheonix Ancient City - China

Fenghuang Pheonix Ancient City - China

Fenghuang Pheonix Ancient City - China

Locals Playing Cards - Fenghuang

The city was beautiful but touristy. In a way the initial impression of FengHuang was just another touristy ancient city in China. One could never tell which is a preserved ancient city and which is rebuilt or worst, which is entirely fabricated just for tourism. 

The tourist business easily overshadow the locals and one might easily mistaken a tourist shop from an authentic Miao decendent living in the heart of the city.

Locals selling handicraft in Fenghuang

Fenghuang Nightly Lightup 

Chance encounter was with an old man whom sold paintings of white and blue made on cloth with candle wax and was smacked right in the middie of the tourist street wedged between tourist trinket.

That shop was actually his house which he had grew up in and he was already 80 years old. It’s one of those encounter with genuine shopkeepers and he showed us all his paintings as Zaine enquired one by one being mesmeriezed by his work.

I notice that the Old man had acolates and awards from international council of HK for being an establish artist and the more we interacted, he told his stories showing us picture of famous people who had bought his painting over the decades. His painting was not cheap however, the smallest one cost RMB 2800 which was all price labeled so not anyhow sput out of a whim.

Zaine & His Picture

Most of the captivating ones starts above RMB6000 and there was no pressure in selling his work either. He was just a happy Old man enjoying that we were appreciating his painting. 

Zaine got intrigued by one of the painting and I wonder if he would part with huge sum of money to buy it. The rest of the day kept him in lalaland dreaming of the painting and I was careful not to input any swaying decision into the open coversation.

The next day he decided to visit the art shop again and I advised him that it would be best if he goes alone for his negotiation with the old man. 

They manage reach an agreement for the artwork which was still quite a lot in my opinion but somethings are priceless in a way and who am I to judge what Art is worth anyway to another.

Fenghuang was dearie short visit with only one night stopover and in a way I felt a bit of regret not having the time to really peel away the tourist layer facade to see the unique heritage underneath. 

Narrow Corridors along Fenghuang Ancient City Walls 

Locals Intense Game of Chess - Fenghuang

Just walking around the ancient city itself had so many interesting hint of culture. Still it also felt that I needed some luck and more chance encounters with locals to really immerse into it. Some experience cant be force and must be invited.

Traveled on: Dec 2024