The Ancient City of Langzhong

Dating back 2300 years, the town of Langzhong is noted as one of four greatest ancient towns in China.

It is located in northeastern Sichuan, China, and is the birthplace of the Chinese New Year and Chinese lantern.

The town's narrow streets are closed to traffic, and filled with teahouses all with their original features.

Canadian photographer Fabien Astre visited the peaceful town in June 2012.

He said: "The charm of the ancient town is totally intact as is the architecture and original cultures.

"It does not require much imagination to envision yourself in that spot hundreds of years ago and what it would have been like. Walking the streets of the ancient town provides a real feeling of living in an ancient time.”

Due to the remoteness of this city, it is rarely visited by foreign tourists, mainly only native Chinese who are exploring the sights of their country.

Fabian said: "The locals there are really friendly, maybe because the old town is quiet and not overwhelmed with people."

Langzhong was also the birthplace of Feng Shui, the system of harmonising spiritual forces and the flow of energy through spatial arrangement.

"Langzhong ancient town occupies the most auspicious location according to Feng Shui theory. The buildings of the town were also built in strict accordance with Feng Shui so it’s no wonder that the town boasts such great vibes.

"Langzhong is truly a living ancient town and it was the best place I visited in China.”

To see more of Fabiens work visit: https://fabienastre.com