The lights of the Heshun Renjia restaurant across the rice paddies on the edge of the ancient city. Heshun was chosen as the most charming town in China by CCTV (China Central Television) in 2006. The town was founded over 600 years ago when the emperor ordered soldiers, mostly from Sichuan, to move to this area to guard the Ancient Southwest Silk Route, a trading route that extended from Chengdu, China to India. The route enabled traders to transport silk and tea via horse caravan from China to Myanmar and India, and return with jade and gems.