# Xinjin: Where Five Rivers Meet and 4,500 Years of Civilization Endure

- Link: https://www.thailand-business-news.com/pr-news/xinjin-where-five-rivers-meet-and-4500-years-of-civilization-endure
- Published: 2026-11-02T09:00:00+07:00
- Author: MarketersMEDIA Newswire

_An ancient ferry with a prehistoric city, Ming temple, dragon boat heritage and
living craft on the Chengdu Plain_

China, November 2, 2026 — _Jin means ferry. In AD 216, Li Yan, governor of the Qianwei
commandery, cut a pass through Tianshe Mountain and opened a new ferry on the Min
River, giving the place its name: Xinjin, literally “the new ferry.” A county was
established here in 557, and it was officially reorganized as a district of Chengdu
in 2020. Five rivers — Jinma, Yangma, Yangliu, Nan and Xi — converge here, creating
a unique waterscape. Built in 141 BC by Governor Wen Weng, the Tongji Weir still
irrigates approximately 34,700 hectares of farmland and was listed as a World Heritage
Irrigation Structure by the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (
ICID) in 2022._

![](https://storage.googleapis.com/mmstudio-images/gallery/QMDU0YjNqlfOqfBZnztCFUnAgIL2/
89207751-1793242299-1.jpg)

_The river-born ferry also nurtured river-centered folk traditions. The Xinjin Duanwu
Dragon Boat Fair, a Sichuan provincial intangible cultural heritage, dates back 
to the Tang and Song dynasties and has thrived for over a millennium. Held on the
wide confluence of the five rivers, the annual dragon boat races are a signature
folk event in western Sichuan and a core symbol of Xinjin’s water-town identity._

_Water nurtures culture. Across this land, a prehistoric ancient city, Ming Dynasty
Buddhist temple and living folk craft weave together a continuous cultural fabric
stretching thousands of years._

**_Baodun: Dawn of Civilization by the Xi River_**

_Five kilometers northwest of the urban center, where the Xi River meets the Tiexi,
lies the Baodun Ancient City Site. Dating from 4,500 to 3,700 years ago, it has 
the best-preserved rammed-earth city walls of any Neolithic site in the upper Yangtze
basin. The ancient city has inner and outer enclosures, with the outer enclosure
measuring approximately 6.2 kilometers in perimeter. Ditches lie outside the walls,
and the site covers approximately 2.76 million square meters. Some experts believe
the walls and ditches served both defensive and flood-control purposes. Together
they reflect mature rice agriculture and advanced social organization of the time._

_Excavations between 2020 and 2021 uncovered rice paddies dating back approximately
4,500 years, the oldest known in the upper Yangtze. Sanxingdui culture developed
on the foundation of local Baodun culture, incorporating influences from other regions.
Named a Major National Historical and Cultural Site in 2001 and a National Archaeological
Site Park in 2025, Baodun saw its ancient pottery fingerprint replicated on the 
grip of the flame-collection rod used for The World Games Chengdu 2025, bringing
a 4,000-year-old mark of civilization into the modern era._

**_Guanyin Temple: Ming Dynasty Murals in the Jiulian Hills_**

_Nestled at the foot of Jiulian Mountain, Guanyin Temple was founded in 1181 during
the Southern Song Dynasty and is a Major National Historical and Cultural Site. 
Its 94-square-meter Pilu Hall murals, completed in 1468, are representative works
of Ming Dynasty fine-brush heavy-color mural art and are of high artistic value._

_A Ming Dynasty incense burner unearthed in 1980 bears an inscription confirming
that imperial artisans were dispatched from Beijing to supervise the work. Painted
with mineral pigments including azurite, malachite and cinnabar, using relief gilding
techniques, the murals retain clear layers after nearly 600 years. Architect Liang
Sicheng praised them as “orderly, elegant and exquisitely wrought” during his 1939
survey._

**_Xinjin Rope Weaving: A Living Craft from Laojun Mountain_**

_Laojun Mountain was one of the earliest Taoist centers in Sichuan, dating back 
to the late Han Dynasty. Xinjin rope weaving originated here, first created by Taoist
priests for ritual use before spreading to local communities and evolving into a
folk craft. Yang Wenyi, a municipal-level representative inheritor of Xinjin rope
weaving, is skilled in more than 120 traditional knot patterns._

_During the 2023 Chengdu World University Games, rope weaving was featured at the
Athletes’ Village, showcasing traditional knotting skills to athletes from around
the world. Today, visitors can try hand-knotting at Anxi Intangible Cultural Heritage
Village and take home a personal cultural souvenir._

_From an ancient ferry to today’s Wujin Subdistrict, served directly by Chengdu 
Metro Line 10, Xinjin has always been defined by its waters. According to the 2025
Statistical Communiqué on the National Economic and Social Development of Xinjin
District, the district received 14.5671 million tourist arrivals in 2025, up 7.1
percent year on year, and generated tourism revenue of 6.091 billion yuan, up 14.0
percent. In the same year, Xinjin was ranked among China’s Top 100 Municipal Districts
for Tourism Development Potential by industry evaluation._

_Rice fields still cover the land above Baodun. Tongji Weir’s waters still flow 
after 2,000 years. Dragon boats race every Duanwu Festival. The morning bell still
rings at Guanyin Temple. Rope knots are still woven by hand below Laojun Mountain.
This is no museum of scattered relics, but a living place of civilization. Come 
to Xinjin: walk the ancient fields, admire the Ming murals, tie a traditional knot,
and feel the pulse of millennia-long civilization in the river breeze._

Contact Info: 
Name: Wendy HeEmail: [Send Email](https://send.releasecontact.com/89207751)
Organization: The Xinjin District People’s GovernmentWebsite: [https://www.xinjin.gov.cn/xjxrmzf/index.shtml](https://www.xinjin.gov.cn/xjxrmzf/index.shtml)

Release ID: 89207751

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**Source** : [Xinjin: Where Five Rivers Meet and 4,500 Years of Civilization Endure](https://news.marketersmedia.com/xinjin-where-five-rivers-meet-and-4500-years-of-civilization-endure/89207751?rand=206000)

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