Top Ancient Villages in Huangshan - Best Huizhou Cultural and Historic Heritages

1. Hongcun Ancient Village - World Heritage Site & Chinese Village in Painting

Poetic Scenery in Hongcun Ancient Village

Listed as World Cultural Heritage site together with Xidi Ancient Village, Hongcun Ancient Village is recognized as the best Huizhou style ancient village in China, through its great cultural significance, outstanding settlement, long history, well-preserved buildings and gorgeous scenery.

Firstly built in Southern Song Dynasty (1131 AD), Hongcun Ancient Village has nearly 900 years’ history. Now there are over 130 well-kept residences dating back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties (14~20th Century). The surrounding mountains, patchwork of white walls and gray tiles reflected in the rippling South Lake constitutes a beautiful landscape scroll, which attracts numerous photographers, directors and sketchers. Remember to walk the transverse bridge to seize the lotuses blossom in summer, therewith, you can visit South Lake Academy to know the old-style private school system, visit Moon Pond to capture the nice reflection in the half-moon-shaped pool and view fancy legacy of Chengzhi Hall, etc.

1. ● Hongcun Village to Yellow Mountain
2. ● Hongcun to Xidi Ancient Village
3. ● Huangshan North Station to Hongcun

>> 4 Days Scenic Huangshan Mountain Tour with Hongcun Biking

>> 4 Days Huangshan Hongcun Vacation with Hot Spring

2. Xidi Ancient Village - World Heritage Site & Museum of Ancient Residences

Xidi Ancient Village

As one the remarkable examples of Huizhou ancient villages, Xidi Ancient Village was listed as World Cultural Heritage with nearby Hongcun Village. With two rivers flowing through, Xidi is a time-honored pristine village with about 1,000 year’s history. It has over 200 ancient residences of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and important ancestral halls, archway, all decorated with exquisite brick, wooden and stone carvings.

Start your Xidi tour from Hu Wenguang Memorial Archway, a spectacular stone archway with 5-layored sculptures. Then walk wonder around the maze-like primitive buildings across the 99 narrow lane ways. Dafudi (Embroidery Compound), Yingfu Hall, East Garden, West Garden and Ruiyu Courtyard are major sites to catch a glimpse of the owners’ brilliant history and best representatives of spatial pattern, frugal and elegant architecture style. In spring, the large golden sea of rape flowers adorns the village more lively and picturesque.

>> 4 Days Huangshan Mountain and Local Village Walking Tour

3. Bishan Ancient Village - A Rustic Utopia World Hidden in Field

Cosey Countryside Fields in Bishan Village

Bishan Village is a quiet and lovely Huizhou ancient village lying in northwest of Yi County. As recorded, Bishan Village has a long history of over 1,500 years. Compared to famous Hongcun and Xidi, Bishan is off thebeaten track, architectures are not well preserved, but more known for its charming rural landscape, original farming, relaxing lifestyle, unique atmosphere of modern and traditional culture.

The village is also the location where Chinese artists created the Bishan Project to practise rural reconstruction to maintain and revitalize its own rich historical and cultural legacy and local traditions by bring modern art the culture. Staying in two Pig’s Heaven Inns fulfills your dream of experiencing authentic country life, enjoying fantastic rural and trying local flavor. How to meet the core of Bishan? Pick a nice day, ride a bike through the golden rice farmlands, spend some time in the beautiful Bishan Bookstore, visit the Bishan Supply and Marketing Cooperatives to witness the real hermitage and pantisocracy.

>> 4 Days Huangshan with Pig’s Inn Carefree Countryside Idyll Tour

4. Nanping Ancient Village - Museum of Chinese Ancient Ancestral Hall

Ancestral Hall in Nanping Village

Nanping Village is a tranquil village near Xidi, which has been built for 1,100 years’ history and experienced super flourishing by three big families. It is the shooting site for famous movies, such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Ju Dou. Prosperous development left Nanping Village large groups of ancestral temples, with 36 wells, 72 old alleys, and more than 300 ancient residences.

To enter the village, visitors will walk across a vast green or golden field, then pass through giant trees standing at the gate. While tour around inside, the Sanyuan Well, Diaohua Hall, Shensi Hall, Bingling Pavilion, Promotion Alley, Xuyi Hall (Ye Family’s Ancestral Hall) are main sites to know the past living scenes and feudal clan culture and customs. If interested, join in the dyeing workshop to make some special souvenirs.

>> 4 Days Huangshan Mountain Tour with Ancient Villages Living Experience

5. Tachuan Ancient Village - Top Autumn Colors in China

Stunning Autumn Views of Tachuan Village

Driving from Hongcun Ancient Village to Mukeng Bamboo Forest during autumn, the oil painting style Tachuan Village definitely please your eyes and camera. The wonderful sight of red leaves, green lands and characteristic ancient buildings wins Tachuan Village one of the top autumn colors in China. Such natural beauty is an ideal inspiration for painters and photographers.

Seen far from the highway, the pagoda vision of multiple layers of architectures, stunning colors, rising smog around and green valley sketch a dim beauty of Tachuan. Further inside, you can truly touch a peaceful rural world surrounded by farm lands, cows, plain locals and scatted buildings. Anytime is suitable to observe the historical residences, but late autumn (late November) is better to grasp the mixed color of Tachuan.

>> Huangshan Hongcun to Tachuan Village Biking

6. Chengkan Ancient Village - Top Mysterious Feng Shui Village

Ancient Architecture in Chengkan Village

Chengkan, a famous old and mysterious Fengshui Village in Huizou, is notable for its special location and layout of Fengshui, based on the theory of “the Eight Diagrams” and many preserved architectures dating back to the Ming & Qing Dynasties. First built in Three Kingdoms Period, Chengkan Ancient Village has over 1,800 years’ history. The three streets and ninety-nine alleys turns the village a maze, full of different style of pavilions, wells, residences, communities, ancestral temples, bridges and etc.

Only with a professional guide, you could get the interesting and key part of Chengkan Village and avoid getting lost. Among all sites, Luo Dongshu Memorial Temple (Baolun Pavilion) is the must-visit one. It is a big ancestral hall from Ming Dynastey (16th century), a marked Huizhou ancient compound perfectly explaining design integrity of elegance, beauty and grandness. You can enjoy beautiful Yongxing Lake filled with Lotuses in summer, walk Zhongying Street to see the pristine path, pass through the Kan (Threshold) to leave misfortunes behind, and get more Chinese Fengshui culture and story there.

>> 4 Days Huangshan Tour to Huizhou Culture Exploration

7. Lucun Ancient Village - Finest Wooden Carved Dwellings

Peaceful Life in Lucun Village

Want to discover serene and less commercial ancient village in Huangshan? Then, Lucun Village is a good choice. The village is silently situated nearby Hongcun Village, but renown for delicate wooden carved residences of Millionaire Lu and his large family, piecework by two craftsmen for 20 years. The massive featured carvings not only present outstanding skill, owners’ elegant taste, but also valuable symbols of Chinese traditional culture.

Among all the houses of 7 families, Zhicheng Hall is the living quarter of Lu’s first and second wives, which displays the best level and the most complicated artistry. You can closely view refined wooden carvings of various patterns on windows, beams, archways, door shelters, ridge, roof, rail and every corner your sights move to. Pay attention to the stories told by your tour guide, that connects much to the architecture speciality and owners’ statue.

>> 4 Days Huangshan Mountain and Local Village Walking Tour

8. Guanlu Ancient Village - Magic Connected Family Houses

Wizardly Jointed Houses in Guanlu Village

Guanlu Ancient Village is a clan community of Wang Family with a history of over 1,100 years’ history. The quiet village is most known for the ingenious construction of connected houses of eight brothers and authentic rustic scenery. That features distinguish Guanlu Ancient Village from other old villages in surrounding areas.

At the gate, tourists can see a big crescent-shaped pool. Tour along a little river between the buildings and farmlands, you can visit the siamesed houese through crafty connections via alleys and doors. Named by meaningful books, the eight residences witnessed the great achievement owners obtained, and superb architecture design and layout of Huizhou style. Rice Sculpture, Tile Carving and Wood on Seafloor are other three local skills and features of Guanlu Village.