This is probably why Hongcun Village remains so popular (with Citywalk route included)

I've been to southern Anhui many times and visited countless ancient villages there, but there's only one village that keeps drawing me back, one that always gives me a reason to return—Hongcun.

I've met with Hongcun so many times I've lost count, and I'm as familiar with her as everyone else.

She's often shrouded in mist and clouds, sometimes appearing like a bold ink painting, other times like a soft, dreamy watercolor. She resembles a long scroll of landscape painting, blending natural scenery with cultural heritage, earning the title "Village in a Chinese Painting."

✔️"History"
Founded during the Shaoxi period of the Southern Song Dynasty, her story spans over 800 years. The village preserves more than 440 well-maintained Ming and Qing dynasty residences, with their "white walls and black tiles" and "carved beams and painted rafters" representing classic Hui-style architecture.

✅"Ancient Architecture"
When we find ourselves in Hongcun, we discover ancient buildings that have stood firm through centuries of wind and rain—true "treasures" in the history of Chinese residential architecture.

❶Chengzhi Hall: Built in the 5th year of the Xianfeng period during the Qing Dynasty, its brilliance lies in the "four waters returning to the hall" courtyard layout and intricate carvings. The beams and doorways are adorned with exquisite Huizhou-style carvings, earning it the nickname "Folk Forbidden City."

❷Lexu Hall: Originally built during the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty, it's the main ancestral hall of the Wang clan. The entrance features upturned eaves, while the beams and pillars display simple yet dignified carvings, showcasing the family's prominence. Together with the Moon Pond in front reflecting the Hui-style horse-head walls, it forms Hongcun's iconic landscape.

❸South Lake Academy: Built in the late Ming Dynasty and reconstructed in the 19th year of the Jiaqing period in the Qing Dynasty, it sits by the lake with windows framing views of water and distant mountains, creating the poetic atmosphere of "reading ten thousand books while facing a mirror of nature."

✅"Water System"
The entire water system of Hongcun is interconnected, nourishing generations of residents for hundreds of years.

At the center of the village is a small pond called "Moon Pond," while the larger South Lake lies in the southern part. Additionally, water channels about 1 meter wide run throughout the village, connecting the ponds and providing residents with convenient access to water.

❶South Lake: Excavated in the 35th year of the Wanli period during the Ming Dynasty, it forms the core of the village's water system, showcasing the ecological wisdom of ancient Huizhou people. The lake features an arc-shaped stone embankment with a bridge in the middle, lotus flowers and willows along the banks, and white walls with black tiles reflecting in the water like a painting.

❷Moon Pond: Excavated during the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty, it's shaped like a half-moon. The pond is surrounded by bluestone embankments and buildings with white walls and black tiles, including Lexu Hall standing by the water, creating reflections that dance with the sky and clouds.

✅One-day Citywalk Route
Morning at South Lake Bridge ➡️ Enter South Lake Academy ➡️ Stroll along the water channels to Moon Pond ➡️ Step into Lexu Hall ➡️ Explore the Hui-style carvings at Chengzhi Hall ➡️ Return to Moon Pond in the evening to see lanterns reflecting on the water

✔️The entire route connects ancient buildings, water systems, and cultural elements, allowing you to experience the charm of this "village in a painting" through changing light from dawn to dusk