Huangshan Ancient Villages
The name of Huangshan City is derived from the famous Huangshan Mountain, and it is one of the must-see places for travelers. In addition to such natural wonders, a history of more than 2,200 years has left the city with a large number of cultural heritages. Among them, the picturesque ancient villages of Hongcun and Xidi stand out for their long history and concentration of well-preserved ancient Hui-style houses. In addition, Hongcun and Xidi were collectively declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2000. Let's see the following article to learn about the ancient villages in Huangshan that are worth visiting.
One of the best places to visit in Huangshan is the ancient village of Hongcun, known as the village within Chinese paintings for its beautiful landscapes and tranquility. This ancient village displays the Huizhou architectural style, with hundreds of residential buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368 - 1911) standing silently. The best foreign language film at the Oscars was filmed here: Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. Fun things to do in Hongcun include enjoying the beauty of South Lake and Yuezhao Lake, drawing near the river, and viewing the delicate stone, wood, and brick carvings.
Xidi ancient village has a history of nearly a thousand years and was declared a World Cultural Heritage Site in 2000. There are hundreds of well-preserved ancient houses from the Ming and Qing dynasties, so it is reputed to be the treasure of the ancient residences and the most beautiful village in the world. Seeing elegant Hui-style buildings such as the Hu Wenguang Memorial Arch and Jingai Hall, and appreciating Hui-style stone, wood and brick carvings are the top things to do in Huangshan.
Shexian is a county in Anhui Province, and is under the jurisdiction of Huangshan City. This county is known for its historical and cultural heritage. Being an art museum of classical architecture, it is rich in cultural relics, memorial temples, residences and memorial arches. It was selected as one of the four renowned ancient cities in China, along with Langzhong Ancient Town of Sichuan Province, Lijiang Ancient Town of Yunnan Province, and Pingyao Ancient Town of Shanxi Province. Furthermore, it has a high reputation for being the leading producers of well-qualified Huizhou inkstick and ink stone.
Chengkan Ancient Town is a perfect and typical combination with the beautiful natural landscapes and cultural art of Huizhou. It is famous for the well-preserved residential architectures of the Ming Dynasty (1368 A.D. – 1644 A.D.). The ancient buildings contain pavilions, bridges, houses, ancestral temples, wells, etc. Moreover, there are exquisite stone carvings, wood carvings and brick sculptures in every house. The Baolun Hall in the Ancestral Temple is an outstanding example of the refined beauty of Chengkan architecture. The special design of the residences, together with the town's mother river Longxi River, is believed to bring liveliness and fortune to the entire town and well-being is passed down from generation to generation.
Huizhou, the very elegant and quiet ancient city, is located in the center of Shexian County, which is a state historical and cultural county in China. Huizhou ancient city is also home to Huizhou Government. Within the ancient city, visitors can see elegant, beautifully designed ancient homes. The ancient bridges, pagodas, streets, dams and memorial arches show their elegance of primitive simplicity and creates the look of the whole city as a magnificent museum of history. There are some must-sees, such as Tao Xingzhi Memorial Pavilion, Taibai Building, Doushan Street, etc.
