Journey to Western Hunan (Part 3): Hong’an Border Town

Hong'an Ancient Town is also known as Border Town because of its special geographical location. It is located at the junction of Chongqing, Hunan and Guizhou. It is across the river from Biancheng Town in Huayuan County, Xiangxi Prefecture, Hunan Province to the east, and is connected to the mountains and rivers of Zaijia Town in Songtao County, Tongren City, Guizhou Province to the south. It is the gateway to southeastern Chongqing and is known as "three provinces with one foot". It is the core area of ​​"Border Town Scenery" and is also the prototype of "Border Town" written by literary master Shen Congwen. Biancheng Village is surrounded by Hong'an River, Qingshui River and Jiulong Mountain, forming a border town pattern of "surrounded by mountains on all sides, with mountains behind and water in front", "surrounded by mountains and water outside, and a city locked deep inside". The village is crisscrossed with rivers. The Qingshui River divides Biancheng Village and Biancheng Town (Hunan Province) into two parts. The Hong'an River meanders through the west side of Hong'an Biancheng Village and merges with the Qingshui River from the south, forming two beautiful islands: Sanburan Island and Cuicui Island (Chadong Town). There are many historical elements in Hong'an, mainly including Lala Ferry, Sichuan-Hunan-Guizhou boundary monument, Monument to the March into the Southwest, Chairman Mao's Quotations Tower, islands (no man's land), street paving, Sola ferry, Hongcha ancient ferry, river pier and boat-catching stones, courtyard walls, etc. The Sichuan-Hunan-Guizhou boundary monument was erected when Xiushan was under the jurisdiction of Sichuan. In front of the stone tablet are inscribed "The Southeastern Gateway of Sichuan" in large characters, accompanied by a couplet that reads "After travelling thousands of miles, we have now reached the Land of Heaven; now, with just a few steps, we have entered the Xiushan Mountains." The words "Border Town of Sichuan, Hunan and Guizhou" were written at the end, with a self-encouragement attached: "Miao, Han and Tujia people work together to achieve great things, and Hong and tea will all work together to build a well-off society." The March into the Southwest Monument was built in 2009. The main body is more than ten meters high. The five large characters "March into the Southwest" engraved on the front were written by Deng Xiaoping in a book published in 1988 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Southwest Service Corps. Hongcha Ferry is located between Hong'an Wharf of Hong'an Group, Hong'an Border Town Residents Committee and Huayuan Chadong Wharf of Hunan Province, on the border of Songtao, Guizhou Province, and is the junction of Chongqing, Hunan and Guizhou provinces (cities). The ferry is 130 meters wide and covers an area of ​​1,500 square meters. On November 6, 1949, the Second Field Army of the Chinese People's Liberation Army led by Liu Bocheng and Deng Xiaoping built a pontoon bridge here to cross the river, taking the first step towards the liberation of Chongqing. Steel ropes are now used to fix the two banks to form a lala ferry, allowing border residents to travel freely. "A small bamboo pole with a movable iron ring was erected at the bow of the ferry. A steel cable was stretched across the water at both ends of the river bank. When someone wanted to cross the river, they would hang the iron ring on the waste cable, and the people on the boat would hold the rope and slowly pull the boat across to the other side." Today, the Lala Ferry described in "Border Town" remains the same, except that the waste cables have been replaced with steel cables. Hong'an Ancient Town