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Explore historic wells scattered through Jianshui Old Town, including Daban Well and other traditional water sources.
团山村
A historic village with more than 600 years of history. Tuanshan preserves traditional residences, village gates, temples and ancestral halls from the late Qing and early Republican periods. The village combines traditional Han Chinese courtyard houses with Yi-style earthen houses and is a nationally recognized traditional village and 4A-rated tourist attraction.
潮阳楼 Chaoyang Lou
The preserved eastern gate tower of the former walled city of Lin'an and one of Jianshui's best-known landmarks. Built in 1389 during the Ming dynasty, it is the only one of the city's four original gate towers to survive substantially intact. The upper floors contain exhibition space and offer views over the old town. The building has been protected as a Major Historical and Cultural Site at the National Level since 2006.
永贞门
The northern gate of the former walled city of Lin'an. It formed part of the four-gate layout established when Jianshui's city walls were rebuilt in brick during the Ming dynasty. The original gate tower no longer survives, but the site remains a recognizable landmark.
阜安楼
The southern gate of the former walled city of Lin'an. It was one of the four historic gates that defined the old city's street layout, together with Chaoyang Gate in the east, Qingyuan Gate in the west and Yongzhen Gate in the north.
清远门
The western gate of the former walled city of Lin'an. Together with the eastern Chaoyang Gate, southern Fu'an Gate and northern Yongzhen Gate, it formed part of the traditional four-gate layout of the old city.
文庙 Wen Miao
Billed as "the largest Confucian temple in Southern China", Jianshui's temple was founded in 1285, during the Yuan Dynasty, although the existing buildings date mostly to the late 18th century (and probably have been heavily restored in the late 20th). Unlike its better known namesakes in Qufu or Hanoi, Jianshui's temple includes a large lake, known as Xuehai ("The Sea of Learning"). A pavilion on the island is called Si Le Ting 思乐亭, i.e. the "Joy of Learning Pavilion"; it's also known under the alternative name, "Diao Ao Ting" 钓鳌亭, i.e. "The pavilion for catching Ao"; catching Ao, a legendary giant sea turtle, is a metaphor for scoring best at the traditional civil service examination in the Imperial China. Similar to the Confucian temples elsewhere, Jianshui's temple has a large assortment of ornate gates and halls for honoring Confucius, his ancestors and disciples, and assorted local worthies, in a parklike setting, among cypress trees. If you've been to Qufu or Hanoi, you'll notice one difference, though: in Qufu or Hanoi, most important stone tablets are mounted on top of stone tortoises (bixi), while in Jianshui, there is not a tortoise in sight; on the other hand, elephant motif is prominent in decorating the temple in Jianshui. It's up to you to decide if the temple and its lake are worth the fairly steep entry fee.