Langzhong is a town in northeastern Sichuan province, China. Langzhong is a city of about 100,000 people on the Jialing River. The main attraction is the ancient town, a mostly unadulterated section of ancient architecture, closed to vehicle traffic. The town is famous as the abode and headquarters of Zhangfei, a notable emperor during the years of the Han dynasty. There are also some hiking and sightseeing opportunities in the surrounding area.
Langzhong's size and offerings makes for an ideal weekend trip, but could host several days of sightseeing, especially for those interested in classical Chinese culture and architecture.
The main attraction is the old town, a sizable section of ancient-looking buildings in classical style. It was from this town that the famed warrior-king Zhangfei administered the Kingdom of Shu during the late Han.
The town offers a combined ticket (80Y) to five main attractions, listed below. Individual tickets can also be purchased for each. All sites have slightly informative English captions on some displays. Once in the old town, these sites are easy to find by either following town maps posted everywhere, or buying a town map (10Y).
Huagong tower (15Y) and Zhongtian tower (10Y), two towers of about three stories, fine locations from which to overlook the town and river.
Zhangfei Temple (40Y), where the warrior king was laid to rest after being betrayed by his closest advisors.
Fengshui Museum (20Y), an exhibition of geomantic principles including a scale model of the town. There is also a beautiful, small courtyard with well-kept vegetation and multiple levels. A (Mandarin only) fortune teller is sometimes available. The attached museum houses multiple displays without English captions.
Gongyuan (35Y), a preserved ancient examination hall. Up until the Communist Revolution, individuals seeking government employment memorized ancient Confucian texts and were later grilled on the quality of their memorization as the sole qualifier for employment. This hall is one where students were examined, and houses a tribute to Langzhong's top scholars.
For the very time- or budget- conscious, a tower and the Fengshui museum will probably suffice. Otherwise, these and other various sights (2-10Y) make for a day or more of sightseeing.
