Yingjing County 荥经县

History

The Qin set up Yandao county here in 312 BC, with its seat at Gucheng village (古城村). The Tang renamed it Rongjing (荣经) in 620, and in 1380 the Ming restored the name Yingjing, changing the first character to one with the water radical. The Yandao ancient city site (严道古城遗址), a national key cultural relics site west of the county town, stands on a terrace above the south bank of the Ying River (荥河) below Zhongjun Mountain (中峻山); its rammed-earth walls survive best on the south side and at the north-east corner. The county government calls the old city the starting point of the Yak Road (牦牛道).

Kaishan Temple (开善寺) in the county town keeps a main hall built in 1481, a Ming timber building whose front beams are carved with paired phoenixes and paired dragons. The county government says it was the first hall on the pilgrim route to Mount Wawu (瓦屋山).

What to see

Niubei Mountain (牛背山), 3,666 metres high, forms the watershed between the Qingyi (青衣江) and Dadu (大渡河) rivers and is known for its seas of cloud, sunrises, 'Buddha's light' haloes and star-filled night skies. Longcanggou (龙苍沟), a national forest park since 2000, has a 4A scenic area called Diecuixi (叠翠溪) with a streamside trail of about 7 km, waterfalls led by Tianshengqiao (天生桥), and stands of dove trees (珙桐) with large white bracts; the county government calls April and May, when the mountain flowers open, Longcanggou's finest season.

Food and local products

Yingjing black-sand pottery (荥经砂器) has more than 2,000 years of history; it is made from a local clay and coal ash fired above 1,000°C, and its handmade technique entered the national intangible heritage list in 2008. In the pottery street of Gucheng village, potters now make small teapots, cups and tea trays alongside the heavy casseroles, with unglazed surfaces in matt black, dark grey and bronze tones. Yingjing bang-bang chicken (荥经棒棒鸡) headed the list of Ya'an foods that Sichuan Online reported at a Ya'an produce fair in Chengdu in December 2024.

Highlights

• Yandao ancient city site 严道古城遗址: National key cultural relics site west of the county town; the county calls it the start of the Yak Road.
• Kaishan Temple 开善寺: Main hall built in 1481, with carved phoenixes and dragons on the front beams.
• Niubei Mountain 牛背山: 3,666 m watershed between the Qingyi and Dadu rivers, known for its seas of cloud.
• Longcanggou Diecuixi 龙苍沟叠翠溪: 4A scenic area in a national forest park with dove trees and a 7 km streamside trail.
• Yingjing black-sand pottery 荥经砂器: Local clay and coal ash fired above 1,000°C; national intangible heritage since 2008.