Min Nan Charm with Nanyang Flavor --- A Great Place for a Date or a Leisurely Stroll

🚙 I set off from Chaozhou with my northern friend, driving to Fujian for a brief visit. Our first stop was Zhangzhou, which I remembered as a small city. However, the roads were wide, the greenery was well-maintained, and the buildings were tall, indicating the city's solid foundation. It's quite different from the organized chaos of my hometown Chaozhou . 🏡 Zhangzhou Ancient City is a well-preserved historical and cultural site within Zhangzhou, complete with an underground parking lot. The cultural landscape of the ancient city is rich, retaining many ancient temples and traditional streets, exuding a strong Min Nan and Nanyang fusion atmosphere. It's like an old lady with a heart of white and orange-red, speaking the ancient Chaozhou dialect (which is different from Min Nan dialect, and why Zhangzhou people speak Chaozhou dialect is a matter for investigation). 👉 We visited during a holiday, and the ancient city was lively but not crowded. There were quite a few cultural and creative shops; the cover photo was taken from the second floor of a bookstore. There were even more food-related businesses, and with the help of the integrated architectural background, the general mood was quite pleasant. We watched the night view of the ancient city from the second floor of a coffee shop, and a procession dressed in ancient costumes passed by, heading into the night, creating a somewhat eerie atmosphere... 👉 Walking around the ancient city, the street snacks were not much different from our Chaozhou snacks. The four-fruit soup was sweet and refreshing, and the mochi was surprisingly delicious, winning over my northern friend with its simple and pure taste. 👉 What made a deep impression was the truly ancient archways here (the ancient archways from the Ming and Qing dynasties have been restored), standing solemnly one after another, casting powerful shadows and giving a strong sense of historical vicissitudes. In contrast, our famous Paifang Street in Chaozhou now only has new archways (rebuilt based on historical images and remaining components of Chaozhou's ancient archways), which is regrettable. ❤️ Overall, with such charm and such a crowd, Zhangzhou Ancient City should be considered a rather low-key attraction in China, and it's free to enter, making it suitable for a casual stroll with a loved one, offering a unique charm.