Travelogue of Yuncang Ancient Town

I had an interesting experience while traveling in Yuncang Ancient Town: I parked my car by the road and later couldn't remember where I had parked it. I searched for an hour without success, until I rented a taxi to look around and finally found it. This also shows the vastness of Yuncang. Yuncang Ancient Town is located in Hanshan County, Ma'anshan City, Anhui Province, and is the first town of Hanshan. It is about 40 kilometers by car from Hanshan to Yuncang. When I arrived in Yuncang, I parked on Xinjie Road and then walked to the old street. Yuncang's Xinjie is bustling, truly deserving of being Hanshan's leading town. However, the old street has few pedestrians, and almost no tourists. The streets crisscross, with several old houses, overhead corridors across the streets, and the former site of the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, all of which are very characteristic. Yuncang Town has a long history. It is said that there were human activities during the time of Yu the Great's water control, and it became a gathering place during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. The town was established during the Eastern Jin Dynasty, originally for water transport, and was changed to Yuncang at the end of the Ming and early Qing dynasties. During the late Qing Dynasty, figures such as Li Xiucheng and Li Hongzhang were active here. The Yuxi River to the north of the town is a tributary of the Yangtze River, originating from the Chaohu area. The Yuxi River section of Yuncang that I saw today has a wide water surface and deep water level, very suitable for navigation. It also connects Chaohu and the Yangtze River, and since Yuncang is at the throat of the river, it is normal for this place to have been prosperous in ancient times. I later saw the shipping scene of Yuncang port in ancient paintings by Qing people, and it really felt no less impressive than the Bund in Shanghai. There is a pawnshop by the river named Li Hongzhang. The original name of the pawnshop was 'Yuanxing Hao', established by Li Hongzhang's younger brother Li Yunzhang's family. However, the public attributed it to Li Hongzhang and called it 'Li Hongzhang Pawnshop'. The pawnshop was damaged in the early years and was rebuilt in 2013. Inside, in addition to some pawnshop relics, there are also historical introductions to Yuncang, the connection between Li Hongzhang and Yuncang, and other historical materials. During the Taiping Rebellion, Li Hongzhang led the local militia in Yuncang to resist the Taiping Army but was unexpectedly attacked. The militia scattered in all directions to escape, and Li Hongzhang was also pursued. At the critical moment of life and death, Li Hongzhang was hidden by Yuncang's wealthy merchant Yuan Baishun in his home, escaping the pursuit. Afterwards, Li Hongzhang rose through the ranks. He did not forget the life-saving grace of the Yuan family and made a special trip to Yuncang to express his gratitude to the Yuan family. The pawnshop displays wax figures that depict the scene at that time.