Tourist attractions


The Baosheng Buddhist Temple in Luzhi is among the most well-known of its kind in southeastern China. It was built in the year 503 during the Liang Dynasty (502-557). The temple was in the first group of historical and cultural relics put under protection by the State Council. The clay images of nine arhats in the temple were sculpted by Yang Hui-zhi, a reputed artist in the Tang Dynasty (618-907). The thousand-year-old statues remaining intact are considered national treasures.





At the south end of the ancient town, there is a heritage complex that used to be the site of Wansheng Rice Mill – the largest of its kind in southeastern China. The business was owned by two native families – the Shen and Fan families – in the early 20th century. The huge complex contained a rice shop in the front and a mill in the back. The hundred granaries enabled the company to store enormous amounts of rice, and it served as the grain collecting and distributing center for a dozen townships in the area.


In the one square kilometer of the township area, there used to be 72 and a half stone arch bridges built from the 10th to the 20th centuries. Of these, 41 still exist. The ancient bridges vary in size and shape. There are larger multi-arched ones, smaller single-arched ones, plate girder ones, scenic twin bridges, parallel "sister bridges" and makeshift ones. Five pairs of bridges were built where two streams meet, so they connect with each other and form 90°angles. Luzhi may be seen as a museum of antique bridges.

The seven ancient ginkgo trees, including four in Baosheng Temple proper, have become landmarks for Luzhi. The oldest among them, 1,300 years old, still has luxuriant foliage. Even three adults find it hard to get their arms around its huge trunk. The tree is 50 meters high.

The layout of the little town itself is interesting. Its nine main streets, paved either with cobblestone or granite, are lined with small shops. Almost all the town's buildings have front entrances facing the street or lanes and back walls by the water. The longest of the 58 lanes measures only 150 meters. The residential compounds may have three, five, six, or even row of houses in them. These buildings are commonly found with dark gray roof tiles, whitewashed patterned walls, as well as wooden doors and window frames. The ridges of the brick roofs have both ends curved up. A majority of the town's houses are between one and several hundred years old.

 


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