Heshun Ancient Town

The renowned hometown for overseas Chinese, the Heshun Ancient Town in Southwest China’s Yunnan province, is a cultural fusion of East and West and has nurtured distinct local characters. Boasting a tradition of attaching great importance to education, Heshun is home to a large number of scholars and intellectuals, including the famed philosopher Ai Siqi (1910-66). The major cultural tourism spots are: the former residence of Ai Siqi, the Wanlouzi Building Complex and the Heshun Library.

What to see here

1. The Former Residence of Ai Siqi

The former residence of Ai Siqi was built in 1919 by Ai’s father who would later assume a government post in Henshun. The residence, integrating styles from the East and the West, is a wooden-brick quadrangle structure covering an area of more than 600 square meters. It sits on an elevated land and is surrounded by ponds and mountains.

2. The Wanlouzi Building Complex

Literally meaning “Curved Buildings”, the complex is an exquisite traditional dwelling and is built along curved alleys. It is owned by the local Li family who ran the famous trademark “Yongmaohe”. The complex has three courtyards, two of which have been repurposed -- one as an exhibit hall to display the history of the family and the other to showcase the folk culture of the town.

3. The Heshun Library

The library was completed in the 1920s and encompasses the main building, the Cangzhen Building and the Jingshan Garden. It has a bountiful collection of more than 70,000 volumes of books, around one seventh of which are precious editions. Many manuscripts of celebrities are also stored there. With its long history and rich collection, it is known as the top rural library in China.