Langzhong, along with Lijiang, Pingyao, and Zhouzhuang, is said to have one of the best preserved "Old Towns" in China. Located in the southern part of the city within an ox-bow curve of the Jialing River, the Old Town's general layout has remained unchanged since the Ming dynasty. Although it has lost its wall, the narrow streets, which have been recently repaved with flagstone, are still lined by old wooden buildings which now house restaurants and small stores selling wine, coal, antiques, and DVDs, among other things. Famous still-standing structures include the Huayang tower (right top) and the Zhang Fei Temple which contains the burial mound of the famous Three Kingdom's general Zhang Fei. You can spend the night in some of the old houses which have been turned into inns (below right and right bottom), visit a pagoda on a mountain across the river and hike back into town, passing the Tang dynasty Great Buddha Temple en route. This is a town which has only recently started to develop as a tourist attraction, and so far they seem to be doing everything right. Don't miss the opportunity to stay in either the Du or the Qin family couryard houses, and be sure and try the very good local specialty, Zhang Fei beef.
