Linwu County 临武县

History

Linwu became a county in 202 BC, in the fifth year of the Han founder Gaozu. The Shui Jing Zhu (《水经注》) explains the name, "beside the Wu", by the county's position on the east of the Wu stream, and local histories call it the oldest town in southern Chu. The name changed to Dawu (大武) in AD 9 and returned in AD 25; the county was merged into the Guiyang Mint (桂阳监) in 939 and re-established in 1141. In 1639 parts of Linwu and Guiyang were joined to form the new Jiahe County (嘉禾县).

What to see

The Dutou ancient city site (渡头古城遗址) at Fenshi (汾市), dated from the Han to the Six Dynasties, is a national protected monument; the Fenshi Han tomb group (汾市汉墓群) is protected by the province. The Xiuyan cliff inscriptions (秀岩崖题刻) span the Song to the Qing, and groups of Qing blockhouse towers and Ming–Qing gate towers are also on the provincial list. Huasheng Online (华声在线) lists a 20.4-kilometre Hunan–Guangdong Qin–Han ancient road (湘粤秦汉古道) from the county town to Lianzhou, the Wu River scenic belt from the county town to Fenshi, Tongtian Mountain (通天山) in the east and the Xiyao Green Valley National Forest Park (西瑶绿谷国家森林公园) in the west.

Food, crafts and local products

Linwu Nuo opera (临武傩戏), on the national intangible-heritage list since 2014, is performed in Youwan village (油湾) in Dachong Township (大冲乡). It is a ritual drama performed only by men, with offstage male voices joining the singing; its nine surviving masks are carved from camphor wood and worn on the forehead rather than over the face.

Huasheng Online names taro (香芋), Linwu duck (临武鸭) and Shatian dried beef (沙田牛巴) among the local foods. Red Net describes Linwu as the only jade-producing county in Hunan: Tongtian jade (通天玉) is in the national gem and jade catalogue, and the county also yields Xianghua jade (香花玉), Shunlong jade (舜珑玉) and Xianghua stone (香花石), which Red Net calls unique in the world.

Highlights

• Dutou ancient city site 渡头古城遗址: Han to Six Dynasties city site at Fenshi, a national protected monument.
• Hunan–Guangdong Qin–Han ancient road 湘粤秦汉古道: A 20.4-km route from the county town to Lianzhou in Guangdong.
• Linwu Nuo opera 临武傩戏: All-male masked ritual drama of Youwan village, national intangible heritage since 2014.
• Xiuyan cliff inscriptions 秀岩崖题刻: Provincially protected inscriptions from the Song to the Qing.
• Linwu duck 临武鸭: Named by Huasheng Online among Linwu's local foods.
• Tongtian jade 通天玉: Local jade listed in the national gem and jade catalogue.