Hongcun Village

» Huangshan, An Hui

Hongcun Village Overview & Map Weather Transportation Information

Hongcun Village is located at the southwestern foot of the Yellow Mountains and 11 kilometers away from Yi County of Anhui Province. It is a peculiar ox-shaped ancient village in the peach blossom valley of the ancient Yi County. The very uniqueness of the residence design in Hongcun Village distinguishes it from that of any other areas, and makes it as one of the wonders of the current World Historical and Cultural Heritage.

A village in the Chinese painting

Boasting a history of 800 years, Hongcun Village is full of ancient flavor. And the grassy mountain, clear water makes it a real village in picture.

Something to have a look

Film location

Hongcun Village is also the location for the famous Chinese film "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon," directed by Lee Ang and starring Chow Yun Fat.

Strict use of water

Villagers are thoughtful and thrifty in their use of water, and have a strict timetable for each specific need. Before 7:00 am, water is used only for drinking and cooking only. From 7:00 am to 9:00 am it is for cleaning vegetables and other daily-use purposes, after which it is taken to the front yard to water livestock and wash clothes. Used water flows through the village to Yuezhao Lake, and then through another small pond into the village irrigation system.

What to see

Lying in the Thunder Hillock and facing the Southern Lake, the village covers 30 hectares. It has a great fame for her water-supplying system constructed in Song Dynasty (960-1279).Now it boasts for 158 dwelling houses dating back to the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, nearly 140 are still in good shape.

The shape of an ox

In the Shaoxing period of the Southern Song Dynasty, people in Hongcun Village took the initiative in applying bionics by creating the unique artificial water system for firefighting and irrigation.

The whole village was originally laid out in the shape of an ox. The west end of the village, called Leigang Hill, resembles an ox head and that is where two huge trees stand like ox horns. At the front and rear of the village are four bridges that span a Jiyin stream and resemble four legs of the ox. The several hundred well-arranged houses form the body of the ox, and the 1,000-meter-long Jiyin stream that meanders through the village is regarded as its intestines. A crescent pond in the village is the ox's fourth stomach, and a larger South Lake is its reticulum, the second stomach. The villagers of Hongcun long ago designed this marvelous landscape.

Well-preserved folk residences

Now there are more than 140 well-preserved folk residences of Ming and Qing Dynasties. The sceneries of the mountain and the lake are in perfect harmony with layers of houses; the natural scenes and cultural implications reflect upon each other. And one of the perfect is Ideal-Upholding Hall (Chengzhi Tang).

Decorated with the typical local style of brick, wood and stone, carvings, they display the ornateness and elegancy of the traditional 15th-16th century edifices, boasting historical and research value, as well as being tourist attractions.

Ideal-Upholding Hall (Chengzhi Tang)

Built with pink walls and black tiles, all the residences are better arranged. Among them, Ideal-Upholding Hall (Chengzhi Tang) is the most representative and is praised as the 'Folk Imperial Palace'.

Famous for its exquisite and gorgeous "Three Sculptures" and thus called the 'Folk Imperial Palace' which best represents the Hui architectural style of marble floors, black tiles, red lanterns, and elaborate wood-carvings. Numerous varieties of figures and patterns are carved on the columns, beams and door frames and are gilded with gold. It is said that about five kilograms (11 pounds) gold had been used in gilding the wood carvings during the construction of the house. Ideal-Upholding Hall is the best preserved. Hundreds of visitors from home and abroad are fascinated by its wood carvings.

Other halls

Other halls including Jinxiu, Dongxian, Sanli, and Xuren are also worth a visit.

Attractions around » Huangshan, An Hui

Natural Scene

• Yellow Mountains
• Mt. Jiuhuashan

Historical Site

• Tunxi Ancient Street
• Xidi Village
• Hongcun Village
• Tangyue Archway
• Nanping Village

Shopping & Leisure

• Tunxi Ancient Street

Hongcun Village Highlights

Ancient City & Town attraction highlights

• Ancient Town of Zhouzhuang
• Hongcun Village
• Old Town of Xitang
• Shexian
• Langzhong Ancient City

city highlights

• Lijiang
• Pingyao

Local Resident House of Huizhou attraction highlights

• Xidi Village
• Hongcun Village
• Yixian
• Nanping Village

The best small Towns and Villages in China attraction highlights

• Ancient Town of Zhouzhuang
• Ancient Town of Wuzhen
• Hongcun Village
• Phoenix Town

Ancient City & Town in Great China

• Lijiang Old Town
• Ancient Town of Zhouzhuang
• Shuhe Naxi Village
• Jiaohe Ruins
• Ancient Town of Wuzhen
• Pingyao Ancient City
• Tunxi Ancient Street
• Xidi Village
• Hongcun Village
• Yangliuqing Town
• Old Town of Xitang
• Cuandixia Village
• Zhujiajiao Old Town
• Phoenix Town
• Loulan Ancient City
• Qiuci Capital Ruins
• Baidicheng
• Fengdu
• Shibaozhai Temple
• Mallikurwatur Ruins
• Tangyue Archway
• Dali Ancient City
• Qingyan Ancient Town
• Zhenyuan Ancient Town
• Stone Drum Town
• Gaochang Ancient City
• Furong Town
• Qibaozhen Ancient Town
• Tongli Town
• Daxu Ancient Town
• Jingzhou Ancient City
• Nanping Village
• Xingping Town
• Longli Ancient Town
• Ancient Sanlu Temple Street
• Shiban Street
• Ciqikou Old Town
• Tunbao Cultural Village
• Kashgar Old Town
• Subashi Ancient City
• Gyangtze Old Town
• Lhatse
• Jinli Street
• Langzhong Ancient City

Hongcun Village FAQ & Travelers's Tips

  Transportation

1. Tour bus transfer center at Tangkou
2. How Can I get there?

  Food

1. Why are food so expensive on the mountain? Am I getting ripped off?

  Travel

1. How much does the ticket to Huangshan Scenic Area cost?
2. What are some sceneries that I can't miss when visiting Yellow Mountains?
3. What should I notice when climbing Yellow Mountains?
4. Any ropeway there?
5. Can I buy ropeway tickets from tour guides? Is it safe?

  Other Hints

1. Anything interesting in the around-area of Yellow Mountains?
   

• Tour bus transfer center at Tangkou

  You might be already confused by how many times to transfer and still confused about whereto transfer. Here is the introduction of transfer center at Tangkou transfercenter.
  

  • Zhaixi Transfer Station: If you live near Zhaixi, like Jinmangu Hotel (Golden Bangkok Hotel), Haizhou Grand Hotel, Zhaixi Grand Hotel, you can go to Zhaixi transfer station on foot.
    
  • Dongling Tansfer Station: It locates in the center of Tangkou. If you live near Xingang Grand Hotel (New Shore Grand Hotel), you can go to the station on foot or by bus.
    
  • Nandamen Transfer Station: If you live near the South Gate, you can go to this station on foot or by bus.
    

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• How Can I get there?

  The Huangshan (Yellow Mountains) that we usually talk about refers to Huangshan Scenic Area. There are three ways to get there.

  • Train: There are more than 30 trains that stop at Huangshan, but less start at Huangshan. After you arrive at Huangshan stop, you can take a tour bus in front of the train station to get to Huangshan scenic area. The tour bus cost about 15 RMB. Trains that start from Huangshan stop are ShanghaiN420 and Huaibei N410.
    
    
  • Airplane: The airport of Huangshan is locatedin the outskirt of the city, about 5km to the city center. You can take a taxi to Huangshan Transportation Center and then take a bus that goes from Tunxi to Taiping, get off at Tangkou and take a tour bus to Huangshan scenic area. The bus costs 13 RMB/person. Or you can take a taxi from the airport to Tangkou, which costs 200RMB/taxi.
    
    
  • Bus: If you come to visit Huangshan from Wuhan,Hefei, Tongling, Anqing, Nanjingor Wuhu, you should ask if the bus will stop at Tangkou, and if it does, you can just get off at Tangkou station to save some time. Buses from other cities like Shanghai and Hangzhouonly stop at Tunxi; therefore, you will need to transfer to the bus from Tunxito Taiping and get off at Tangkou, and then take a tour bus to Huangshan Scenicarea. The tour bus costs 13RMB/person.
    

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• Why are food so expensive on the mountain? Am I getting ripped off?

  Food is expensive on the mountain because all food was carried up to the top by porters working for Huangshan Scenic Area. A bottle of water is about 10 RMB, sometimes even 12RMB; a cucumber is 3RMB.

  Food in hotels and restaurants is also expensive. Avegetable dish costs between 30-40 RMB. Dishes with meat in it are even more expensive, which cost 60 to up to 100RMB. So if you are not planning to eat onthe mountain, please prepare enough food before you enter the area.

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• Anything interesting in the around-area of Yellow Mountains?

  Huangshan is sure the best place to visit in this area, but other small places around it areworth visiting too.

  1. The old streetsin Huangshan city is pretty interesting. Stuff there are not of very goodquality so if you want to buy some, make sure you bargain half of the pricedown.

  2. If you likebamboo shoot food, you should ask your taxi driver to take you to the outskirtof the city and try some food made by authentic farmers.

  3. Huashan PuzzleCave and Chengkan Eight Diagrams Village are twomust-visit spot near Huangshan. You can take a round-trip taxi there, whichcosts 100 RMB/taxi.

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• How much does the ticket to Huangshan Scenic Area cost?

  There are low season and shoulder period tickets.

  Low season lasts from December 1st to the next year's late February. Peak season starts from May 1st to November 1st.

  Low season's ticket costs 120RMB/person, and 100RMB/ticket for students, soldiers, and seniors above 60 years old. It is free for the elderly above 70 years old.

  It costs 200RMB/person during shoulder period and 100RMB/person for students, soldiers, and seniors above 60 years old.

  It is free for the elderly above 70 years old. The golden week holiday belongs to peak season, but the price of ticket does not rise.
  

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• What are some sceneries that I can't miss when visiting Yellow Mountains?

  Every scenic spothas its must-see sceneries. There are 10 things in Yellow Mountains that you have to see.

  1. Queer pinaster: Huangshan pinaster is a special species of trees. They usually grow on cliffs.Greeting Pinaster is the most famous kind of pinaster on Huangshan. ShixinApices is where most of the pinasters are at.

  2. Odd rocks: Theodd shapes of rock were formed due to the weather here with sunshine, rain,wind, etc, which are natural carvers for those rocks. There are some famousstones named Flying Stone from Afar, Monkey Watching the Sea, etc.

  3. Cloud sea: cloudsea is formed under special climate, and when the cloud is lower than the topof the mountain, people on the peak will see a sea of cloud below their feet.

  4. Hot spring: Hotspring area locates on the mountainside. If you climb up the mountain throughthe south gate, no mater where you go, YunguTemple or Ciguang Temple,you will have to walk pass the hot spring area. The temperature of the hotspring remains 42 degrees Celsius all the time. It is suitable for bathing anddrinking. 48 tons of hot spring is pouring out every hour. The hot spring canalso be used as medication. It is effective for several kinds of diseases.

  5. Odd apices: There are 77 mountain peaks that are higher than a thousand meters, including36 big apices and 36 small apices. Among those apices, LotusPeak is the highest while Tiandu Peakis the steepest.

  6. Sunrise: It will be such amagnificent scene like you have never seen before. Sunrise among the mountains and peaks, abovethe cloud sea will make you never want it to stop. The sunrise time differs indifferent seasons: 5:30am-6:00am in spring; 4:40am-5:20am in summer,4:50am-5:20am in autumn and 5:30am-6:00am in winter.

  7. Sunset: Thesunset dyes a golden color to all the mountains around. Image being on the topof Huangshan and enjoy the beautiful sunset. Guangming Top, Paiyun Pavilion andDanxia Apices are the best place to appreciate this wonderful sunset scene.

  8. Buddha lights: According to statistics in weather department, there are 2-5 times when Buddhalights take place on Huangshan each month. The best times when the lightsappear are after rain before 9am and late afternoon when it's going to rainsoon. Places above 1,600 meters of altitude are the best places to see thelights, such as Tiandu Peak, Lotus Apices,Guangming Top, Shixin Apices, Danxia Apices, etc.

  9. Rimed trees and Glaze: During winter, the temperature usually drops below zero, so fog or raindrops will become ice sticking to trees or rocks. This phenomenon is call RimedTrees. Cold rain drops on the ground and forms some hard see-through substance;this is called Glaze. On average, there are 62 days of rimed trees and 35.9days for glaze each year. Rimed trees can last for 24 days straight with adiameter of 23.2 centimeters. Glaze can also last for almost 25 days straight,with a maximum of diameter 41.3 centimeters.

  10. Plants and animals: Huangshan is also called the 'gene storage, the amusement park for bird'. Ifyou are lucky enough, you will see short-tailed monkeys, squirrels, thrush,etc.
      

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• What should I notice when climbing Yellow Mountains?

  Here we would like to provide you some useful tips to make your trip more enjoyable.

  1. Wear comfortable shoes like mountain climbing shoes or sports shoes. Leather shoesor shoes with plastic bottom are not advised because they are too slippery formountain roads. A walking stick is pretty necessary.

  2. Please prepare: raincoat (it is windy on the mountain so umbrella is not suggested), gloves, flashlight, walking sticks, enough fresh water, snacks that can keep youenergetic like beef jerky and chocolate.

  3. Lean forward a little when you climb the mountain, and walk in a "Z" shaped way to avoid from getting too tired.

  4. Walking fast is not good for mountain climbing, and to keep save, when you look at sceneries, please stop walking. It is dangerous to look at scenes while walking.

  5. When storm happens, water can flow very fast. So keep off from water when it's going to rain.

  6. When taking pictures on a high peak, photographers should not move after selecting shootingspot, especially not move backwards, in case there is a cliff behind.

  7. Please do not carve, paint or write on the architectures on Yellow Mountains, because most of them are protected historical sites.

  8. Please do not smoke in no-smoking area. After smoking in smoking area, please throw out thecigarette end in garbage cans.

  9. Please do not throw garbage along side the mountain road. A tree-shaped garbage can can be found every several meters away.

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• Any ropeway there?

  Yes. There are three ropeways on the mountain: Yuping Ropeway (Jade Screen Ropeway) which isfrom Ciguang Pavalion to Yuping pavilion, Yungu Ropeway (Cloud Valley Ropeway)which is from Yungu Temple to Bai'e Mountainsrange, and Taiping Ropeway ( Peace Ropeway) which is from Songgu Nunnery toSonglin Apices.

  • Each cable car on Yungu Ropeway can hold 50 people at atime, 300 people each hour. But it takes long time to wait for this ropewayduring golden holiday week or weekends.

  • Yuping Ropeway was built in 1996, it is the newest and most advancedropeway. Each cable car can hold 6 people at a time, and 800 to 1,000 peopleeach hour. It's good choice to take Yuping Ropeway when there are a lot ofvisitors to Huangshan.

  • Taiping Ropeway is the longest ropeway and can hold most passengers.Each cable car can hold up to 100 people.

  The prices for theride on the three ropeways are all the same, which is 65RMB/ticket during peakseason and 55RMB/ticket during low seasons.
  

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• Can I buy ropeway tickets from tour guides? Is it safe?

  When buy ropewaytickets, you will see some tour guides in front of the ticket counter trying to sell ropeway tickets.

  They are safe. No need to doubt the credibility of the tickets, because usually Yellow Mountains ropeways sell 16 tickets to tour guides and another ticket for free, or there must be at least 16 people in the tour for atour guide to get a free ticket so he can go with his tour.

  So usually tour guides will have to buy 16 tickets himself, get a free ticket and sell other tickets. So the tickets that tour guides sell are safe to buy.

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