5 Days in Neijiang

The memorial to Zhang Daqian (1899-1983), the ink painter born here, opened in 1992 inside a park above the Tuo; drift through the river lanes of Dongxing old street afterwards.

1. neijiang zhangdaqian memorial
2. neijiang dongxing old street

Some 40 km southeast, Longchang keeps seventeen stone arches built between 1838 and 1887 and protected nationally since 2001; the reservoir at Guyu Lake draws winter birds.

1. neijiang longchang paifang
2. neijiang guyu lake

Half an hour north, Zizhong's Confucian temple began in the Northern Song and its present halls are Qing restorations; the standing figure of Confucius honours, by local tradition, his music teacher Chang Hong, a son of this town; Tang-Song carvings cover Zhonglong hill.

1. neijiang zizhong temples
2. neijiang zhonglong hill

An hour into the hills of Zizhong County, Luoquan grew around salt wells over a thousand years; a Qing-era salt-god temple stands over the main street, and the town remembers the 1911 meeting held here as the Railway Protection Movement turned from petitions to arms.

1. neijiang luoquan ancient town

The Shengshui temple by the river was first built in the Tang Xiantong years of the 860s; up Xianglong hill, Tang-Song carvings line the cliff; an afternoon train finishes the trip.

1. neijiang shengshui temple
2. neijiang xianglong hill carvings