Huangdun: The "Cheng Zhu Que Li" Hidden in the Folds of Huangshan

Passing through the layers of green hills at the foot of Huangshan, the bluestone path winds through bamboo groves, and an ancient village soaked in time stands quietly—this is Huangdun, known as the "Number One Village of Huizhou Culture." It lacks the bustle of Hongcun and the fame of Xidi, yet it holds the deepest roots of Huizhou’s cultural lineage and is the source of the "Land of Rites and Justice" described by Zhu Xi.

At the village entrance, a thousand-year-old camphor tree guards Huangdun, its gnarled branches like iron, its canopy like clouds, and the bark’s patterns etched with stories of time. Beneath the tree flows the Heng River, which once carried Huizhou merchants’ ships to distant places and also spread the Neo-Confucian thoughts of Cheng Hao and Cheng Yi along with Zhu Xi’s "investigation of things and extension of knowledge" across the world. As the ancestral home of the "Two Chengs" and Zhu Xi’s birthplace, this place is called "Cheng Zhu Que Li." Though the "Cheng Zhu Ancestral Hall" deep in the ancient alleys has weathered many changes, the plaque above the door still exudes scholarly elegance, and the steles inside record the millennium-long bond between Neo-Confucianism and Huizhou.

Strolling through the village, the Ming and Qing dynasty Huizhou-style residences are arranged in an orderly yet varied manner, with white walls and black tiles glowing warmly under the sunlight. The horse-head walls and upturned eaves seem to pierce the clouds; the intricately carved window lattices frame distant mountains and nearby bamboo like paintings. Villagers guard their ancestral homes, drying Huizhou tribute chrysanthemums in the courtyards or sitting on doorsteps telling old village stories in dialect, as if time slows down here.

The charm of Huangdun lies in the details. Moss sprouting from the bluestone path cracks is the base color of time; old corn and red chili peppers hanging on the corners of walls bring the warmth of life; the occasional encounter with an old private school site seems to echo with the clear voices of children reading a hundred years ago. There is no commercial hawking here, only ancient bridges, flowing water, and curling cooking smoke—this is the truest image of "homesickness" in the hearts of Huizhou people.

Today, Huangdun still maintains its original appearance, like a carefully treasured thread-bound book, with every page filled with Huizhou’s spirit and warmth. If you want to find the roots of Huizhou culture, there’s no need to chase crowds—just come to Huangdun—where every step treads a thousand years, and every glance sees ancient and modern.

Post by DOUGLAS SHARP | Oct 20, 2025