A Long Search, and Finally, Her! Zhangba Village, a Rare Well-Preserved Ancient Village in Gansu
Zhangba Village, a rare well-preserved ancient village in Gansu
Old artifacts in Zhangba Village Museum
A serene scene captured by Tian Qixi of Shangguan Lanzhou Morning Report
Panoramic view of Zhangba Village
The houses in Zhangba Village are scattered on the hillside, with yellow earth tile houses and greenery, evoking a sense of traveling through a long period of time. Fragments of forgotten memories, enveloped in an old atmosphere, create an indescribable emotion.
Experts believe that Zhangba Village's well-preserved ancient dwellings have strong regional representativeness, offering rich resources of humanities, agriculture, pastoralism, and ecology, as well as significant value for folklore and cultural research.
A 800-year-old Bodhi ancient tree stands out particularly in Zhangba Village, silently telling the village's long history.
As early as the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties, when the government implemented the policy of 'migrating from Huayu to Sichuan' to the ancestors of Zhangba Village migrated from Macheng, Huarong, and Xiekang.
Legend has it that the earliest Zhang clan ancestor who came to Zhangba Village was only 8 households, about 50 people. Despite the lack of land in Zhangba Village, through the diligent efforts of the Zhang family over generations, they multiplied and prospered, eventually forming the village you see today.
Wandering through the ancient dwellings, paying attention to every detail, is a great pleasure. You will find that the components of the courtyards are often decorated with exquisite wood carvings, rugged exteriors, and detailed stone carvings, featuring natural landscapes, exotic birds and beasts, dramatic characters, auspicious patterns, and historical allusions, found on screens, window frames, eaves, corridors, and pillar tops.
The abundance of patterns includes auspicious clouds, bats, lucky charms, peonies, plum blossoms, pomegranates, and colorful pheasants.
Deep in the courtyard, every pillar and every carved window seem to be filled with the patina of time and age. Wandering through the dark and slightly dilapidated courtyards, reading the stories of what happened here, whether talking to a tree or a flower, you can feel that time slows down here, and the dust seems to fall like snow.
The plaques and remaining couplets in the ancient dwellings reveal the Zhang clan's pursuit of virtue and self-cultivation. Some reflect the family's frugal values, others passed down family teachings, and still others expressed the hope for the family's prosperity. They reflect people's pursuit of self-cultivation and family life, and their longing for a harmonious world.
With a glance, I gently touch my eyes, and in my line of sight, I feel the soft and ancient tranquility of every brick and tile, touching the deepest part of my soul. At this time, rapeseed flowers, peach blossoms, and unknown wildflowers bloom in profusion, as does the babbling stream, the chirping birds, and the chickens pecking for food, making Zhangba Village seem so beautiful.
Zhangba Village Travel Guide
Location: Zhangba Village is located 7 kilometers southeast of Pipa Town, Linlang City, Gansu Province, accessible via the Lanhai Expressway. It is located between the Qinling Mountains and the Sichuan Basin, with a warm and humid climate and dense forests. The ancient village is located on the slope of Fangshan Mountain, facing the river and new residents on the plateau.
Main Specialties: Chives, Red Potatoes, Chinese Cabbage, Celery Stalks, Small Cabbages.
Reporter Liu Xiaolei of Shangguan Lanzhou Morning Report
