Fǎnglí Old Town

Fǎnglí was originally the site of the Fǎnglí Community, one of the Eight Communities of Pengshan (Pung-san) of the Taokas tribe. In 1853 (the 3rd year of the Xianfeng reign), people from Quanzhou built streets to the north of Fǎnglí Village. During its heyday, the salt factory annually produced two thousand *dan* of salt, and the dyeing industry was also very developed. For convenient commercial activities, Fǎnglí residents paved the main streets with flagstones and built awnings over the houses, temporarily creating a "street where the sky couldn't be seen," bustling with activity. In 1855 (the 5th year of the Xianfeng reign), local gentry Chen Zhidong and Cai Xichou initiated and raised funds to build a city wall. Fǎnglí City had a perimeter of about three *li*. The city walls were made of earth and stone, with four gates facing east, west, north, and south. Thorny bamboo was planted around the city, beyond which was a moat with spiked barrels at the bottom, creating an imposing presence. However, good times were short-lived. In 1876 (the 2nd year of the Guangxu reign), it suffered a devastating fire, leading to the abandonment of the market. Coupled with the establishment of a station on the Coastal Line Railway in Yuanli Street, commercial activities shifted, and Fǎnglí Street gradually declined. Today, the city walls are completely gone. Only the remains of a large ditch on the north side vaguely allow one to imagine the prosperity of Fǎnglí City at that time. Although Fǎnglí City has become history, the village still retains a wealth of historical relics, such as Shuntian Temple, the Fǎnglí River Free Ferry Monument, and the Cai Family Ancient House, all of which are well worth exploring by visitors.