Landscape Photography Experience 07: Cuandishitang Village (Jiatang Town, Beijing) - Suitable for Artistic Creation
Today I'm sharing a photography spot in Cuandishitang Village, Jiatang Town, Mentougou District, Beijing. This village is very famous, located in the west of Beijing, hidden deep in mountains and valleys. There's a lot of historical information about the village's name online; interested friends can search for it. Cuandishitang Village is about 100 kilometers from Beijing's urban area, at an altitude of 650 meters, with a village area of 5.3 square kilometers.
Cuandishitang Village's houses are basically all at a historic level, built with north-south orientation and nestled in the mountains. They are layered and stacked, creating a spectacular view. According to the introduction, this favorable terrain ensures optimal lighting, ventilation, and views for every house, perfectly combining people and buildings with the environment.
The village has many historical sites, such as Ming Dynasty old village ruins, Qing Dynasty residences, murals, anti-Japanese watchtower ruins, old propaganda slogans, ancient mills, ancient wells, and ancient temples. Stepping into it, you feel like you're traveling back in time. Walking through the rustic stone-paved houses, you'll have a serene and tranquil feeling wash over you.
Cuandishitang Village is well-known, and there are many artists and photographers visiting it throughout the year. They conduct painting and photography creation here.
Driving related information
I went twice by self-driving. Because of the distance and the many mountain roads, taking the bus would be quite troublesome.
Route:Simply use your mobile phone's navigation to Cuandishitang Village. The 100-kilometer journey should take about 3 hours, mainly because there are many national highways and most of the roads are winding through the mountains, so you can't drive too fast.
Precautions:1. Driving safety in rainy and snowy weather must be considered in advance. Most of the roads are winding mountain roads.
2. If you travel during the summer and autumn holidays, which are peak tourist seasons, it's best to book in advance. Cuandishitang Village has many old houses that have been renovated into guesthouses, and you need to book in advance. Because many people drive there, and there are also college students and tourists who come by bus, you might miss out on a place if you're slow. There may also be traffic jams on some sections.
Photography related
Cuandishitang Village has many shooting subjects, which can be roughly divided into four directions. First, 'street photography' to capture old village objects and local culture and customs. Although many houses have been developed into farmhouses and guesthouses, the original appearance has remained largely unchanged and is worth recording. Second, go to the top of the opposite mountain to shoot the entire village, which is embedded in the mountains, very characteristic. Third, walk about one kilometer ahead of the village, there's a place called 'Xilidian', which is said to be a scenic spot but doesn't charge entrance fees and is open. The movie 'The Embroidered Banner' was shot here. This place is suitable for shooting environment portraits and light effects. The afternoon sun shines through the gaps, projecting golden beams, which is very beautiful. Fourthly, the scenery along the way to Cuandishitang Village is also worth shooting, such as clear rivers, winding mountain roads, and layered mountains in the distance.
In terms of shooting equipment, I brought a 24-105mm and a 70-200mm lens. The 70-200mm lens was not used at all. It depends on your personal needs. Drone aerial photography and video shooting are also good choices here.
Precautions
1. The village is deep in the mountains, the temperature will be much lower than in the urban area. Please bring warm clothes before you go.
2. When you're driving close to Cuandishitang Village, you'll first arrive at the scenic entrance, where you'll buy tickets. But don't park at the parking lot there, you need to drive another 5 kilometers to the village's parking lot.
