Xinchang

Some photos of Xinchang Old Town

Introduction to Xinchang Old Town

A riverside village at the foot of a small mountain range, Xinchang has several old streets with wooden houses in a rather humble style. Monuments punctuate the streets of Xinchang: two churches and residences of former Christian missionaries with astonishing styles. Rare evidence of bas-relief techniques with a kind of stucco made from rice, techniques that have almost disappeared.

The life of the locals still permeates the streets with peppers and corn drying on the paving stones, children and animals playing everywhere, many tea houses where Mah Jong is played. Several possibilities for excursions exist in the vicinity of Xinchang: 8km away from the Buddhist frescoes and statues carved into the cliff and very well preserved although smaller than the classic sites (Dazun, Longmen, Mogao etc…), tea production in the mountains, fields on the other side of the river, horseback riding. Access: Xinchang is about fifteen kilometers from Anren and located a little over an hour’s drive from Chengdu, less from the airport.

Xinchang is also located at the crossroads of other major sites in Sichuan: to the North Dujiangyan (40 minutes) and the road to Jiuzhaigou, to the South Ya’an and the Bifengxia Panda Reserve (1h – 1h30), to the West the Xiling Mountains (40 min – 1h). The highway network and road conditions are excellent making this a very accessible region.