"The most underrated small town I visited in Jiangxi this year, I'm afraid it will become popular."

I’m Xiao Yan, a traveler who quit my job to travel around China. When I visited Ganzhou, Jiangxi, I discovered an underrated gem of a small town—Longnan.

Here, the cluster of earthen buildings is known as the "Eastern Roman Colosseum." It’s on the tentative list for World Heritage status and even holds a Guinness World Record, yet it remains very low-key and hardly anyone knows about it.

When I stepped into the world's largest earthen building, I was struck by the deep sense of history. I regretted not coming here earlier.

🚶 How to Explore the Longnan Earthen Buildings

Longnan has over 370 earthen buildings, scattered like fortresses across the land. It’s worth spending a whole day to experience the most representative ones. Here’s a recommended route:

📍 Guangxi Weir → Wushi Weir → Yanyi Weir → Taiping Bridge

1️⃣ Guangxi Weir
🎫 Ticket: 60 RMB
Guangxi New Weir, the largest and best-preserved earthen building in southern Jiangxi, has a history of over 200 years. It’s a national cultural heritage site and holds a Guinness World Record for having more than 200 rooms. The building, with its distinctive rammed-earth walls, ancestral hall, and fortress-like structure, is absolutely mesmerizing. I spent half a day there and didn’t want to leave.

2️⃣ Wushi Weir
🎫 Free
In contrast to the rectangular-shaped Guangxi Weir, Wushi Weir features a more unique style, with a square interior and circular exterior. The yellow walls and green tiles are complemented by lifelike sculptures of lions, elephants, and monkeys on the roof. Wushi Weir, which has a history of over 400 years, was also designed for defense, and its outer walls have survived remarkably well.

3️⃣ Yanyi Weir
🎫 Free
Out of all the earthen buildings in Longnan, my favorite was Yanyi Weir. It is the tallest one still standing, with four floors and a height of 14 meters, making it truly impressive. Yanyi Weir is still inhabited by locals, and you’ll often see cats playing inside, giving it a lively atmosphere. Every shot taken there has a cinematic feel—definitely a must-see! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

4️⃣ Taiping Bridge
🎫 Free
Not far from Yanyi Weir is Taiping Bridge, which is also worth visiting. As a national cultural heritage site, its architectural design is quite unique. Locals told me that despite frequent flooding in the area, Taiping Bridge has never been washed away over the centuries. I was truly in awe of the wisdom of the ancient builders.

🚌 Getting Around

🚗 Self-driving: Simply navigate to the various scenic spots, and you can easily visit them all in one day.

🚎 Public transport: Take a bus to "Longnan East Station," then catch bus lines 205 or 22 to reach Guangxi Weir. In the city, you can also go to the “106 Bus Fleet” to catch a minibus to Wushi Weir and Yanyi Weir. Buses run frequently, and you just need to let the driver know your destination in advance.

It’s hard to believe that such a world-renowned earthen building hub, with architecture so ancient and unique, remains so underrated and hidden.