Guangfu Ancient Town, part III (广府古城 - Guǎngfǔ gǔchéng)

Rem Sapozhnikov / April 2014

While I was wondering where to move on, I was approached by one of the electric cars' drivers. His name was Anwei and he spoke English. Before now, he worked as a guide in Beijing, but then he decided to return to his family in his hometown Guangfu. Here he also works as a guide. Through him, I have visited a few more interesting places.

His phone number: 15028091114. If you are going to Guangfu call him. Your journey will become easier and more lighthearted.

First, we went to Wu Yuxiang (武禹襄 - Wǔ Yǔxiāng) Memorial House /1812-1880/. He is another internationally acclaimed master of taijiquan. His name is also the name of one of the styles of this martial art.

Wu Yuxiang Memorial House is located near the Eastern Gateway inside the town walls.

Wu Yuxiang was an apprentice of Yang Luchan, the memorial house of which is depicted in the first part of the story about Guangfu.

In the left part of photo, there is one of two pomegranate trees planted by Wu Yuxiang. It happened on the third year of the reign of the Xianfeng Emperor, Qing dynasty, i.e. in 1853. The tree is more than 100 years old, and it still fructifies. The pomegranates from this tree are sweet, and sour – from the second one. So says the explanatory sign.

The courtyard, in which the trainings took place. In the corner of it, you can see the wall of some former Christian church.

Altogether, Wu Yuxiang trained more than 100 apprentices.

Left – the bust of Wu Yuxiang. Right – the busts of his successors in the style. Their names are: Li Yiyu (李亦畬 - Lǐ Yìyú) /1832–1892/; Hao Weizhen (郝為真 - Hǎo Wéizhēn) /1842–1920/; Li Shengduan (李圣端 - Lǐ Shèngduān) /1888-1948/.

We left the Memorial House and drove through the main street that crosses the town from east to west, to the opposite (western) part of the town, where Chenghuang temple (城隍庙 - Chénghuáng miào) is located.

From the look of things, this Taoist temple is dedicated to the Guardian God of Guangfu.

This elderly woman was delighted to learn that I was from Russia. In China, I have met only a good attitude to the Russians. Especially to Putin.

This is the electric car we drove around the town.

Then we went to the Hongjiqiao Bridge, which is located 2.5 km east of the town. The fields on both sides of the road are filled with greenhouses. If I got it right, radish is grown there. Maybe this is Chinese daikon radish.

Hongjiqiao Bridge (弘济桥 - Hóngjì qiáo). It is believed that the first bridge was built there 1,400 years ago. Last time the bridge was rebuilt in the Ming dynasty period - in 1582. Since then it stayed unchanged and was used by local residents until 2006. Now the bridge is a historic landmark, but you can walk on it. Before you enter the bridge, you have to show your ticket.

Some of the stones the bridge is built of have traces of prehistoric creatures.

After the Hongjiqiao Bridge, we went to Ganlusi (甘露寺 - Gānlù sì) - a new temple (recently built), the name of which can be translated as Sweet Dew Temple.

Almost immediately, I was forbidden to take pictures there, although I noticed no prohibitive signs.

After the temple Anwei took me to the bus stop at the Eastern Gateway, where we bowed out.

I took the bus No. 605 to get to the Southern Gateway. I wanted to buy something in the gift shop, but it was already closed. By the same bus, I got back to Handan city. As far as I remember, one of the stops was in Renmin Dong Lu Street (人民东路 - Rénmín dōng lù) near my hotel. At the time of my trip the route number 605 was absent in Google maps.