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"The road to the stream is far, but every home has a clear spring at its doorstep."
The village covers an area of less than 20 hectares. Looking down from the air, it resembles the shape of an ox. It is known as the "village in Chinese painting". With many titles such as World Cultural Heritage, National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit, National 5A Scenic Area, National Ecological Cultural Village, and National Historical and Cultural Village, Hongcun, an ancient village in southern Anhui, is the most "red" ancient village among the more than 580,000 administrative villages in the country. Every year, more than 2.5 million tourists flock to it from all over the world.
Hongcuncheck the details
Hongcun, nicknamed "Hongcun" because it "expands to form the image of Taiyi," was renamed during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty. Located in the northeast of Yi County, one of the six Huizhou counties in Anhui Province, Hongcun is nestled between mountains and water. Behind it, the village is protected by verdant hills, offering a high and refreshing terrain that shields it from the northerly winds. While the village is protected from the dangers of flash floods, it offers the pleasure of gazing at the mountain scenery and enjoying the sounds of the springs. Founders eight or nine hundred years ago envisioned building a water system first and then following it, imbuing it with a water-like spirituality that further enhances its charm compared to other villages with Huizhou-style architecture. Hongcun in Yi County, Huangshan City, Anhui Province, is known as the "village in a painting."
4694 recommendations, 2333 visits
Picture @Yihuangjingyi Tourism Co., Ltd.
Picture @Yihuangjingyi Tourism Co., Ltd.
Tips:
Location: Hongcun Town, Yi County, Huangshan City, Anhui Province
Recommended play time: 2-4 hours
Business hours: 00:00-24:00
Ticket price: 104 yuan/person, valid for entry and exit within 3 days (ID card required)
Scenic Area Telephone: (0559)5541158, (0559)5553333
People in Peach Blossom Spring
Yi County, located at the western foot of Mount Huangshan, was once known as the Peach Blossom Spring. It boasts numerous clan villages, with well-preserved Ming and Qing dynasty residential architecture. Ten kilometers northeast of the county seat lies the remote town of Hongcun, formerly known as "Hongcun." Founded in the Southern Song Dynasty (1131 AD), it originally consisted of only 13 rooms, earning it the nickname "Thirteen-Room Building."
Due to flash floods, river diversions, and population growth, villagers reclaimed the riverbanks and built houses, eventually establishing a substantial area by the early Ming Dynasty. During the Yongle reign (1405 AD), the Wang family's ancestors hired He Keda, a feng shui master from Xiuning, to survey the terrain. He determined that the area's geomancy resembled a reclining ox, and based this on this, they developed a blueprint for the village.
"The mountain is the ox's head, the trees are the horns, the bridge is the four hooves and the house is the body."
According to the scientific layout of the village, the Wang clan used Leigang Mountain as the ox's head, the two ancient trees at the entrance of the village as the ox's horns, dug a lake to make the ox's belly, diverted the spring as the ox's stomach, dug a canal to drain the water, and the ox's intestines were winding in nine bends and eighteen turns. After more than 180 years of construction, looking down from the air, it finally formed an "ox-shaped village" that looks like a green ox lying leisurely by the stream in front of the mountain.
Hidden in the boudoir, unknown to the world
From a distance, the scenery is freehand and unrestrained; from a distance, it is meticulously detailed. Ancient alleys crisscross the landscape, houses are built against the hillside, and villages are clustered beside the water. White walls and black tiles, brick and wood carvings, stone carvings, calligraphy and paintings, and couplets are all in a myriad of forms.
"Pink walls, green tiles, horse-head walls, high walls, deep courtyards with small windows, a large patio connecting heaven and earth, and a brick-carved gatehouse with flying eaves and pointed corners."
There are 103 well-preserved ancient buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties and 34 buildings from the Republic of China period. The unique ancient dwellings exude a rich traditional culture. The people of Hongcun work from sunrise to sunset, enjoying a carefree and pastoral life that seems like another world.
Upper left: Horse-head wall & Middle: Chengzhi Hall main hall patio & Lower right: Lexu Hall brick-carved gatehouse
Top left: Taoyuanju wood carving & Middle: Triangular housekeeper's room in Chengzhi Hall & Bottom left: Drainage ditch under the patio
The ingenious water system design not only solves the village's firefighting water needs but also provides domestic water, regulates the temperature, and enriches the ecological and landscape value. According to a rule established by our ancestors, the canal is for drinking water before 8:00 a.m., and washing is permitted after 8:00 p.m. Clear water flows freely through every household, flowing through the halls and around the houses, adorned with plants, and flowing through the fish ponds and flower beds.
The winding Hongcun Canal
Soaring up to 90,000 miles
In 1986, the Yi County Tourism Bureau purchased Hongcun's Chengzhi Hall, known as the "Folk Forbidden City," and opened it to tourists. But 10 years later, the villagers hadn't received a cent.
Starting in 1994, Hongcun residents applied to the county for village-run tourism. In 1996, the operating rights were transferred to Hongcun Town. A turning point for Hongcun arrived in 1997, when Huang Nubo, chairman of Zhongkun Group and known as a "poet-businessman," assembled nationally renowned architectural experts and experts in ancient Huizhou architecture to develop a plan for the Hongcun scenic area. Over the next two decades, Hongcun's development has soared. In 2017, Hongcun welcomed 2.27 million visitors, generating nearly 130 million yuan in ticket revenue. Villagers' incomes have increased nearly 700-fold compared to 20 years ago.
Special stamps issued in 2004
Don't be afraid of the clouds blocking your view
"For hundreds of years, people have been doing good deeds, and the best thing to do is to study."
The ancients left behind a rich legacy of material and spiritual wealth, which continues to nourish Hongcun residents and visitors. Nanhu Academy, a clan-run school founded in 1811, has nurtured numerous talented individuals, including Wang Daxie, Acting Minister of State in the early years of the Republic of China, and Wang Dinggui, a Huizhou merchant and painter. The couplets, brick carvings, and wood carvings displayed in the "Lexu Hall," "Chengzhi Hall," and "Shuren Hall" continue to inspire positive energy.
“One does not do good for the sake of retribution, nor does one study for the sake of fame.” Traditional Huizhou culture has nourished future generations for millennia.
Top left: Chengzhi Hall woodcarving - Guo Ziyi celebrating his birthday & Top right: Chengzhi Hall couplets and "Calm Bell Sound" display
Wedding performances and Huizhou cuisine
"Hongcun Aju" performance poster
"Connect with the world with an open mind and ensure the sustainable inheritance of culture"
Hongcun, which continues to generate new revenue, is still practicing the concept of protecting culture. The large-scale live cultural performance "Hongcun·Aju", created with the Huizhou woman "Aju" as the protagonist, enriches the night entertainment life while also spreading the unique Huizhou culture.
On an autumn morning, the Chinese tallow trees sway and the Metasequoia trees stand tall by the Qishu Lake outside the village, and the lake and mountains are shrouded in mist. Standing in Hongcun, you seem to be back to the scene in the ink-splashing painting when you turn around.
Known as one of the four great autumn colors in China, the scattered Chinese tallow trees in the village fields turn from green to yellow and then red after the frost. The pink walls, black tiles, upturned eaves, red maple cottages, and a veiled mist create a scene resembling a flowing landscape painting, a must-see destination for many painters and photographers. The best time to view the red leaves in previous years is from late October to mid-November.
Along with Hongcun, Xidi is a World Cultural Heritage site. A cultural corridor of ancient dwellings from the Ming and Qing dynasties, Xidi is home to the Hu clan. According to records, the Hu clan's ancestor was the youngest son of Emperor Zhaozong Li Ye of the Tang Dynasty. Xidi's buildings and pavements are paved with marble. Ninety-nine high walls and deep alleys create a maze, and its memorial archways, dwellings, and ancestral halls are among the most unique ancient structures.
Some people compare Hongcun to a painting and Xidi to a book. Compared with Hongcun, Xidi's ancient buildings are more well-preserved, and at nightfall, the dreamy light and shadow show is even more magnificent.
There are many accommodation options around Hongcun, and the scenic area mainly consists of old house B&Bs. The price ranges from ¥150 to ¥300 on weekdays, but the price increases significantly during holidays. The room types vary.
Staying within the scenic area allows for a nighttime exploration of Hongcun and the tranquility of the ancient village in the mornings. (The village's ancient alleys are difficult to navigate, so if you're staying within the village, please contact the hotel owner in advance to arrange for luggage handling.) There are also a variety of hotels outside the scenic area. The Huangshan Qishu Wonderland International Hotel, located on the shores of Qishu Lake, is a five-star hotel with floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing you to enjoy the stunning views from your bed.
A lifelong obsession is to visit Huizhou, a place you never dream of. With its whitewashed walls and black tiles, nurtured by Huizhou culture and the fascinating stories of Huizhou merchants, Hongcun Village feels like a secret passage through time, transporting us to a place where the tenderness of ink painting, passed down for millennia, is revealed.
