The present city was expanded in the 22th year of the Hongwu Period of the Ming Dynasty ( 1389 ) .The forty-two streets and lanes of the city formed a chessboard design ,of which only the"Gongchen Gate Tower"in the west and the"Xinggong Gate Tower" in the center have survived.

Under the north and south eaves of Gongchen Gate Tower hang two large plaques,one of which was inscribed with The Best of the Six Kingdoms and the other with Looking up into the Sky.The plaques,inscribed during the Qianlong Period of the Qing Dynasty,noted the powerful position of the Mengshe Kingdom among the six kingdoms of the Erhai area in the early Tang Dynasty.Inside the ancient city,there are many old buildings of the Ming and Qing dynasties such as Yuhuang (Jade Emperor) Pavilion,Wenhua Academy, Dongyue Palace,the Confucian Temple,and Sun Palace.

Most of the buildings in the city reserve the architectural style of the Ming and Qing dynasties.Of these,the Confucian Temple is the most grand with fine carvings and paintings.In the center of the city,Mengyang Park provides a place for rest and sightseeing.