Fangli Ancient City Introduction
Fangli was originally the site of the Dakas tribe's Pongsan Eight Community - the Fangli Community. In the third year of the Xianfeng period, the Quanzheng people built a street north of Fangli Village. At its peak, the salt warehouse produced 2,000 stones annually, and the dyeing industry thrived. Since residents found it inconvenient to engage in commercial activities, the main street was paved with stone slabs, and houses were equipped with rain canopies, creating a bustling "street without a view of the sky." In the fifth year of the Xianfeng period, gentry Chen Zhīdōng and Cai Xíchóu initiated fundraising to build a city. The walls of Fangli City encompassed about three li, constructed of earth and stone, with four gates to the east, west, south, and north. Outside the city was a circle of thorny bamboo, and beyond that lay a city moat, with barrels of nails placed at the bottom, signifying considerable development potential. However, good times did not last. In the second year of the Guangxu period, the city was struck by a devastating disaster, leading to the abandonment of the marketplace. With the establishment of a railway station on Yuanli Street, commercial activities shifted, and Fangli Street gradually fell into decline. Today, the city walls have completely disappeared, and only the remains of the large canal to the north vaguely suggest the former grandeur of Fangli City. Although Fangli City has become a part of history, the village still retains a wealth of historical artifacts, such as Shuntian Temple, the Fangli Creek Yidu Stele, and the ancient Cai family residence, all of which are well worth exploring for visitors.
