Forgotten Zhejiang Attractions Undergo Stunning Transformation into 4A Scenic Areas – Rich Viewing Points, Few Tourists
When people talk about Longyou County in Zhejiang Province, many people may not know it or even know where it is. In fact, it is an ancient city with a long history, one of the 13 earliest counties established in Zhejiang.
Due to this deep historical background, Longyou has preserved a number of ancient sites. If you have to name Longyou's most famous attractions, it must be Longyou Residential District and Longyou Grottoes. The Longyou Residential District is particularly favored by lovers of humanistic travel.
Located in the foothills of Juming Mountain, the Longyou Residential District was relocated in the 1980s to protect Ming and Qing Dynasty ancient residences that were lacking in local protection, forming a scenic area with 34 ancient buildings and an area of 300 acres.
The relocated and rebuilt ancient buildings are orderly arranged in the mountains and waters, such as courtyards, residences, halls, academies, pavilions, shops, and ancient bridges. These grand architectural complexes have once again brought back Longyou's former civilization and the prosperity of the Longyou Merchant Guild.
Entering the Longyou Residential District, you can see Ming and Qing Dynasty ancient residences with intricate carvings and black-tiled roofs. The entire residential area covers nearly 100 acres, with buildings such as Gao Gang Qi Feng, Wu Shi Hall, Ju Xing Tang, Wang Shi Residence, Ling Shan Hua Hall as representatives. These exquisite architectural styles have earned it the title of 'a representative of Jiangnan ancient architecture'.
The architectural styles in the Longyou Residential District are diverse, with brick carvings, wood carvings, and stone carvings all complete and unique. Compared to cold buildings, the stories behind these residences are the most vivid.
For example, 'Gao Gang Qi Feng' is located at the top of Gao Shan Village, Xiyang Town, Longyou County. It was named because of the phoenix-shaped mountain behind the house and its high terrain. Built in the late Yuan Dynasty, Gao Gang Qi Feng was originally Zhang's ancestral hall. It has maintained Zhang's family's harmony until today, which is enviable. Gao Gang Qi Feng is one of the most distinctive buildings in the Longyou Residential District, with particular attention to the design of the roof beams, which is the most distinctive building in Longyou County.
Zishutang is another distinctive building in the Longyou Residential District, built in the late Qing Dynasty for the Zhang family. The building has both exquisite brick carvings and artistic wood carvings, as well as a two-courtyard and one-hall design, making Zishutang a classic courtyard in the Longyou Merchant Guild.
If you want to see more exquisite wood carvings, you must go to the residence built in 1912, the Wu Shi Residence. Although it is not a very large residence, it hides many wood carvings engraved with opera characters, with vivid and exquisite figures, which is a high level of carving skills in Longyou.
The Ju Xing Tang, known for its tranquility, may be deeply loved by literary and artistic young people. It doesn't have as many elaborate wood carvings and stone carvings as other buildings, but the patterns are extremely fresh and elegant, conveying the beautiful wishes of 'fortune, prosperity, auspiciousness, and good luck.' If you have to say what is special about this residence, it is the columns built with traditional architectural mechanics, which are not only beautiful but also have earthquake-resistant properties.
Of course, there are many stories in the Longyou Residential District. When you come here and see these unique buildings, you will discover their charm. Although it is only a 60-minute high-speed rail ride from Hangzhou, it still attracts few tourists. So, have you been to Longyou? What is your impression of this place? You can leave a message to share.
