📍 Hongjiang Ancient Commercial City

Huaihua quietly preserves ancient towns where time seems to have slowed down. On my first visit back to my hometown, wandering through Hongjiang Ancient Commercial City and Niyang Ancient Town, I realized that their beauty is not only found in moss-covered roofs but also in the simple, heartwarming rhythm of everyday life. 📍 Hongjiang Ancient Commercial City Often called “a living street of the Ming and Qing dynasties”, this town still holds over 380 well-preserved ancient houses. The green stone-paved streets shine from centuries of footsteps. In narrow alleys, elderly women embroider flowers by the window, and wooden lattices frame laundry lines swaying in the breeze. It isn’t a cold museum of relics, but a living heritage filled with smoke from kitchens, human warmth, and stories passed down through generations. 📍 Niyang Ancient Town Praised as “the No.1 Ancient Town of Western Hunan”, yet untouched by commercialization. Passing through its gate, you’re welcomed by a bowl of rice noodles or a piece of rustic tofu — still priced as if it were ten years ago, enough to awaken childhood memories. Instead of rows of souvenir shops, you’ll find old men playing chess under eaves, and women selling handmade insoles. Every moment here feels quietly precious. 🌿 Huaihua is not just a destination; it’s a keeper of raw memories. Once you set foot here, time seems to slow down, and every heartbeat of daily life becomes something to treasure.