Recently, "Spring Tour in Anhui" interview group came to the millennium town Datong town in the suburb of Tongling City, Anhui Province. Datong Town, known as Lanxi in ancient times, was once a famous riverbank town at home and abroad, and now still exudes a unique charm with historical sense.

For more than a thousand years, Datong Town has flourished several times. It is learned that in this place, "Meigenye" was set up in the Six Dynasties (222-589), and Datong water post station in the Tang Dynasty (618-907). The town was officially established in the Song Dynasty (960-1279). In the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), patrol and inspection office, the administrative office for tax on fish, and the post station were established, and the government set up the navy base, the general office, and the post office in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). At the end of the Qing Dynasty, it was prosperous and one of four major commercial ports in Anhui province, together with Anqing, Wuhu and Bengbu.

River view in Datong Town (Photo/ Wang Wenhua)

There is a freshwater dolphins national nature reserve in Heyue Island which you can take a ferry near the Datong Old Street to cross the river to get to. It is the first semi-natural preservation area in the world for Baiji dolphins and finless porpoises, with a total of 11 finless porpoises in the reserve at present.

Finless Porpoises Conservation Area (Photo/the Publicity Department of the CPC Tongling Municipal Committee)

In recent years, this millennium ancient town has showcased the glamor of the new era, and Datong Town has won a series of honors such as "Dubai International Award for Best Practices to Improve the Living Environment", "China Habitat Environment Example Prize", "Chinese Historical and Cultural Town", "the first batch of characteristic small towns" and a national 4A level tourist attraction. (Liu Jingwen)