China Pre-stamped Postcard TP37

China Special Pre-stamped Postcards
Name: The Ancient Qikou Town
Number: TP37
Date of Issue: 10 November 2008

Cover	Inside Cover
8-1 Distant View of Qikou	8-2 Street
8-3 Heilong Temple	8-4 Ancient Port
8-5 Xiwan Village	Lijiashan Village
8-7 Baijiashan Village	8-8 Sunjiagou Village
Inside Back Cover

Qikou Town, situated at the very south end of Linxian County, Shanxi Province, is at the west foot of the Lvliang Mountain and beside the east bank of the Huanghe River. The ten-thousand-li Huanghe River flows here and the riverbed here becomes very narrow abruptly. At this part of the Huanghe River, submerged reefs stand like a forest, current is swift and waves are very high. so it has been the natural moat of the water transportation of the Huanghe River. In History, the ancient Qikou Town was an important port for water-land transportation service. The commerce here was flourishing and was in fashion for a time.

A lot of buildings constructed in the Ming and Qing Dynasties and in the first years of the Republic of China remain at Qikou Town and villages all around. The ancient buildings are the outcome and the telling witness of the Huanghe culture and the brilliant Shanxi commerce and are of important cultural and historical value. Qikou Town has been listed as one of the sixth batch of the Major historical and cultural sites under state protection.