Hongcun
This is an ancient town hidden in the 'Peach Blossom Spring', famous worldwide due to the Oscar-winning film 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'. However, more people know it for its reputation as the 'village in Chinese paintings'. The nature of Hongcun is exactly like 'Endless fine rain wets the spring mud, occasionally hearing birds chirping through the fog. Willows frown while peach blossoms smile, reciting poems by the painting bridge to the west.' The charm of Hongcun lies in its representative Huizhou architecture, with high horse-head walls, clear lotus-filled lakes, and arch bridges like rainbows, as if a painting has entered many people's hearts.
Nanping Village is an ancient village with a history of over a thousand years and a very large scale. It has more than 300 ancient buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties, 36 wells, 72 alleys, and multiple ancestral halls. It is known as the 'Museum of Ancient Ancestral Hall Architecture in China.' It is the filming location for the movies 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' and 'Ju Dou.' It is a one-hour drive from Huangshan City, and there are many things to do, making it worth spending 1-2 days.
Guanlu Village
Guanlu is located 2 kilometers west of Nanping. It is situated at the foot of Wuting Mountain and the base of Xiwuling. The village is named because Xiwuling is known as 'Xiwuxiongguan' (Xiwuling Pass), and the village is located at the eastern foot of this pass. Within the ancient village, the old buildings are densely packed and arranged in an orderly manner. It exudes a sense of desolation, which perhaps makes it feel more authentic and worth reminiscing about.
Lu Village also belongs to Hongcun Town, located just over 1000 meters from Hongcun. You can stay in Hongcun and walk to Lu Village. It is less famous than Hongcun but more primitive and natural. On a good day, you can see mist drifting around. Its most distinctive feature is the wooden carving buildings, built by Lu Bangxie, a fourth-rank imperial official during the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty. The main buildings include Zhicheng Hall, Siqi Hall, and Sicheng Hall.
Xieli is located right opposite the main entrance of Hongcun, and can be reached by crossing the road. In spring, you can walk amidst the beautiful scenery of rapeseed flowers and peach blossoms, while in autumn, you can see a picturesque view woven with red, green, and yellow colors. Additionally, there is a sightseeing area on the mountain where you can have a distant view of Hongcun. After crossing the mountain, you can reach Tachuan. It takes about half an hour to walk from Xieli to Qishu Lake (downstream of Nanhu).
Tachuan
Tachuan Village, also known as Tashang, is under the jurisdiction of Hongcun Town, Yixian County. Located on the way from Hongcun, a famous tourist spot in Taohuayuan, Yixian County, to Muken Bamboo Sea, it is a uniquely charming mountain village among the many beautiful and affluent natural villages in Yixian's Xiaotaoyuan. It features wonderful landscapes such as 'Stream Around the Front House'. Especially in autumn, Tachuan's scenery becomes a base for many painters and photographers. Although Tachuan is not as famous as Hongcun, its autumn scenery is indeed a popular destination in the photography community. Passing through the ancient forest at the entrance of Tachuan Village, you can enter the village by following the stone steps along the clear stream. Every autumn, the mountain is covered with colorful leaves, ranging from yellow and light red to fiery red, creating a rich layering effect. It is one of the three major autumn scenery viewing spots in China.
Xiuli
Xiuli Village has 109 households and 365 people, covering an area of 106 hectares, of which 91.3 hectares are forest, fruit, mulberry, and tea. It is an ancient village with convenient transportation and communication, and a very beautiful natural ecological environment. Perhaps within a few steps, 'Tongfu Inn' is hidden by the old street. However, the beauty of Xiuli is not just because of 'My Own Swordsman'. The village built by the water, with its weathered horsehead walls, exudes a kind of gentle and serene beauty. In addition, hundreds of famous film and television works such as 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon', 'Ju Dou', 'Xiao Hua', 'Temptress Moon', and 'King of Beggars' have been filmed here.
Xidi Village
Xidi and Hongcun are equally famous; Hongcun is known for its water features, while Xidi is known for its architecture. It has the best-preserved Huizhou-style architectural complex, and in 2000, it was listed as a World Cultural Heritage site, known as the 'most beautiful village in the world.' The intricate patterns of brick carvings, stone carvings, and wood carvings on the buildings highlight the former glory of the building owners.
Zuyuan Village, nestled at an altitude of 685 meters on the mountainside of Chajiao Peak, boasts an excellent ecological environment with flowing springs and waterfalls, white walls and black tiles, and ancient Huizhou charm. The village features historical and cultural attractions such as ancient bridges, ancient residences, and ancient trees, and is especially famous for its thousand-year-old yew trees. It also has over a hundred acres of terraced fields and is one of the top 100 photography spots in Huangshan City.
Qiyun Mountain
Qiyun Mountain Scenic Area, formerly known as Baiyue, faces Huangshan to the north and south. It is named after its highest peak, Langya, which 'pierces the sky and reaches the clouds.' The scenery is renowned for its unique mountains, beautiful waters, strange rocks, and secluded caves. It is praised as 'the best landscape in Jiangnan, surpassing even Huangshan.' Emperor Qianlong called it 'a unique and unparalleled scenic spot, the number one famous mountain in Jiangnan.'
Chengkan is known as the first village in Jiangnan. Although it is not as famous as Hongcun, it is quite large in scale, highly playable, and worth staying for a night. The village is also called the Bagua Village, laid out according to the principles of Yin and Yang and the Eight Trigrams. It features three-story buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties and rare buildings from the Song and Yuan dynasties. The scenery is extremely beautiful, with a lake and a bridge at the entrance, white walls and black tiles, giving it an authentic ancient village feel. The ancestral hall in the village is a must-visit.
Tangmo
Known as 'China's First Water Village', the village is built along the water and resides by the water. Overall, it is relatively small, but fortunately, there are not many tourists. The most famous ancient building in the village is the Tangan Garden, where you can also see authentic inscriptions by many famous calligraphers such as Su Shi, Zhu Xi, and Wen Zhengming.
