CHONGQING (CQNEWS) -- The Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and National Cultural Heritage Administration released the new 60 towns in the 7th batch of Chinese historical culture towns and there are five new towns in Chongqing. 

The five towns are Luotian Town in Wanzhou District, Qingyang Town in Fuling District, Wutan Town and Shima Town in Jiangjin District, Gongtan Town in Youyang Tujia and Miao Autonomous County. 

Five new national-level historical culture towns in Chongqing (Photo provided by Chongqing Planning and Natural Resources Bureau)

According to the Bureau, the five famous towns all possess long architectural history, with high value in culture, science and arts and can present the history of urban and rural development of Chongqing and local features.

The appraisal and election of Chinese famous historical culture towns was firstly organized by Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and National Cultural Heritage Administration in 2003 to promote the towns that have rich cultural relics, great historical value and can display the traditional features and local ethnic characteristics of some historical periods. Up to now, there are 23 famous historical culture towns in Chongqing.

Gongtan Town in Youyang Tujia and Miao Autonomous County (Photo provided by Chongqing Planning and Natural Resources Bureau)

Gongtan Town in Youyang Tujia and Miao Autonomous County

Located in Youyang Tujia and Miao Autonomous County in Southwest Chongqing, Gongtan Town was founded in the Han Dynasty with a history of over 1,700 years and has obtained its name for over 1,000 years. It has been the traffic fortress and trade and logistics center of Shu Area, enjoying the reputation of "Qiangongtan" (benchland of money) since ancient times and being one of the first batch of Chongqing famous historical culture towns.

Luotian Town in Wanzhou District (Photo provided by Chongqing Planning and Natural Resources Bureau)

Luotian Town in Wanzhou District

Located in the middle of Wanzhou District, Luotian Town was founded in the late Ming Dynasty and began to develop in the Qing Dynasty, with a history of over 500 years. It was a border trade economic center of Chongqing and Hubei, with radiation radius of 30km in ancient time. It now still has a 10km complete ancient tea-trading road.

Wutan Town in Jiangjin District (Photo provided by Chongqing Planning and Natural Resources Bureau)

Wutan Town in Jiangjin District

Located in the northwest Jiangjin District, Wutan town was founded in the 16th year Jiajing Period of Ming Dynasty. It was the Jiangjin-Yongchuan post road during the Ming and Qing Dynasties and was also an important material collecting and distributing center of west Chongqing.

Shima Town in Jiangjin District (Photo provided by Chongqing Planning and Natural Resources Bureau)

Shima Town in Jiangjin District

Located in the west border area of Jiangjin, Shima Town is at the junction of Chongqing, Sichuan and Guizhou. It was founded in the late Yuan Dynasty with a history of over 700 years and was the only way that people went to Chongqing from Chishui in Guizhou and Luzhou in Sichuan. 

Qingyang Town in Fuling District (Photo provided by Chongqing Planning and Natural Resources Bureau)

Qingyang Town in Fuling District

Located in southwest Fuling District, Qingyang Town was founded in the 5th year of Yuanfeng Period of the Northern Song Dynasty and became prosperously in the Ming and Qing Dynasties with a history of over 1,000 years. It gained its name due to the Qingyangpu sheep relief on the east cliff. (Translated by Ma Shuangshuang, Fathom Language Limited)