Follow up my previous post Faces of Phoenix, I received a couple of inquiries from keen travellers who want to see what the place looks like.

Here it is.

If you would like more information on Feng Huang Cheng, click the link for a good read.

All photographs and texts © Gu Photography

It rained a few days before my arrival, the mist was still in the air during my stay. Normally I would be put off by the “bad” weather, but I find myself more and more drawn towards such “moody” weather. Somehow it captures so much more emotions and truths in a photograph on a bad day than a sunny one.

The river flows through the town and surrounding mountains, providing a ways of transport and rich source of food. The waterway brought prosperity to the town, which in return nurtured a number of well respected poets, writers and artists.

The sea of roof tiles of newly built houses and apartment blocks declared the beginning of new life for the locals, as they make way for the influx of tourists.

I never quite figured out if the city wall was old or new, nor the reason for its existence. Since the place never had any record of invasion in history, and premises on both sides of the wall serve the exact the same purpose, they even look the same, selling the same merchandises.

Commercialisation at its best. What could be more symbolic than red lantern when it comes to things associated with China?

If you aren’t Chinese but would like to see the old, authentic China, here is a tip: find a working artist nearby, whichever direction they look, you look. China is currently in the phase of “destroy to progress”, the true image of old China is rapidly diminishing, replaced by concrete steel structures with glassy panels in a desperate attempt to mimic western counterparts. But the sad truth is, they only touched the surface, while they are too busy copying the superficial (insignificant) “look”, they missed out on the opportunities to learn the essence within.

Two narrow footpaths carries thousands of people from one side of the river to the other everyday.

Sun peeked through the cloud briefly in the afternoon, left some warmth behind.

Click on the image above to see a panorama I stitched together of the river stretch.

Prime location. This is where the river bends, also the best view in town, so they tell you. I didn’t buy it, saved extra money and stayed in a hotel with no view at all. Frankly speaking, the view from where I was standing beats the view from the balcony.

I took a walk around town at 5.30am, it was a magical feeling. There was this beautiful tranquility hugging the sleepy town. River flowing quietly beneath you, birds chirping in the woods, and my occasional shutter firing.

The mist descends from the mountains upon the sleepy town.

Not exactly out with a bang, but I do hope you now have a fairly good idea about the place, its surroundings and people.

My previous post was on its people, this one is about the place, I will fit in the missing piece in my next post.

Stay tuned.