Li Bai composed poetry, and at Bishan Bookstore, another secluded village in Southern Anhui was discovered

"Why do I dwell in the green mountains? I laugh but do not answer, my heart is at ease.
The peach blossoms flow downstream, disappearing quietly, a different world that is not of this human realm."
This Bishan in Southern Anhui captivated the poetic immortal Li Bai, making him linger and forget to return. At the foot of Bishan lies a thousand-year-old village—【Bishan Village】
The village is nestled north against the Bishan, a spur of Mount Huangshan, and faces the Yi County basin to the south. The Jianxi River flows through the village, with Shiting to the east, Fengkou to the west, Jianxi to the north, and the county town to the south. It is an ancient Huizhou village where the Wang clan has lived together for generations.
In 2013, it was listed in the second batch of China's traditional ancient villages.

【History】
Bishan has a long history and once served as the administrative center of ancient Huizhou.
According to the 'Annals of Xin'an', "In the twelfth year of the Kaihuang era of the Sui Dynasty, Xin'an Prefecture was changed to Shezhou, and the state administration was established here."
Amidst the overlapping peaks and the clear and beautiful waters, the area has been rich in natural resources and outstanding people since ancient times. During the Qing Dynasty, a total of 11 scholars emerged from here, including the Northern Song political figure Wang Bo, the Qing Dynasty calligrapher Wang Liansong, and the modern educator Wang Dazhi, all of whom hailed from this place.
It is said that Wang Lun, to whom Li Bai dedicated his famous poem, was also from Bishan.

【Ancient Architecture】
Bishan boasts 'Three Capitals and Eight Scenic Spots', with over 100 well-preserved ancient residences and ancestral halls from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It is the place in Yi County with the most cliff inscriptions, including the Song Dynasty private garden 'Peiyun Garden' ruins, the Ming Dynasty private school 'Gengdu Garden', the Qing Dynasty ancient pagoda 'Yunmen Pagoda', Zhangshan inscriptions, Bishan Bookstore, Wang Family Ancestral Hall, Wang Family Temple, and more.

【Bishan Bookstore】
The bookstore, opened here by the Pioneer Bookstore, is the direct reason for the village's recent popularity.
The bookstore was converted from a 200-year-old Wang family ancestral hall, Qitai Hall. The CCTV documentary 'Bookworms' called Bishan Bookstore 'China's most beautiful rural bookstore'.
⭐Additionally, the Pigsty Bar, a teahouse converted from a supply and marketing cooperative, a coffee shop, a clothing room, a handicraft workshop, as well as promotional packaging such as sun-drying festivals and rural music concerts, have revitalized Bishan Village.

Address: Bishan Town, Yi County, Anhui Province
Navigation: 'Bishan Village', free
Surroundings: Nanping, Pingshan, Guanlu, Hongcun, Xidi, Shouzhuo Garden, and more.

Post by William Caldwell | Apr 18, 2024

Most Popular Travel Moments