A Hidden Ancient Village in Huangshan: With a Millennium History, Yet Few Tourists
When talking about ancient villages in Anhui, many tourists immediately think of Hongcun, Xidi, and Chencun in Huangshan City. In fact, this city has countless ancient villages in its various counties and districts, some of which have been developed, while others remain undeveloped.
By a lucky chance, my friend and I traveled to Yixian for tourism. After visiting Hongcun, Xidi, Lu Village, and Muzhen Bamboo Sea, we specially went to this county's southwestern area to visit Nanping Ancient Village. This ancient village is not well-known, and our tourist friends told us they hadn't heard of it. In fact, director Li An's award-winning film 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' shot part of its scenes in the mansions of Nanping.
Nanping Ancient Village is located in the flattest spot in the valley. The village is in front of a vast expanse of farmland, and winding country roads guide tourists forward, with green vegetables on either side. Ahead of the village is a small river flowing gently, with willows and various old trees planted along its banks. The autumn colors here are beautiful, and in spring, rapeseed flowers cover the farmland, complementing the weathered old houses, creating a sense of paradise.
Nanping is far from famous tourist attractions, which is relatively quiet. The ancient and rustic environment is popular with students from art academies, and you often see students setting up easels by the river or along the side of the path, sketching.
According to records, Nanping Ancient Village has a total of over 300 Ming and Qing Dynasty-era buildings, all of which are well-preserved. Along the 200-meter-long central axis, there are eight halls, which is a rare sight in Anhui.
The village has 72 alleys and 36 wells. The buildings are restored in their original state, preserving the mottled and rustic humanistic atmosphere.
In this ancient village, tourists can hardly feel commercial atmosphere, everything is almost the same as it was before. Locals told us that most of the young people go to work in Guangdong and the Pearl River Delta, while many are left behind by senior citizens.
The oldest surnames in Nanping Ancient Village are the Ye surname. Their ancestor had already migrated to this place in the late Yuan Dynasty. In the Ming Dynasty, the Ye, Cheng, and Li surnames all mixed together, promoting the prosperity of the village. For nearly a thousand years, there have been many literary figures and wealthy merchants from Nanping. Besides the clan halls, there are also many private gardens, schools, and villas, among which the Muxiantang, built in the Qing Dynasty's Daoguang year, the South Villa built in the middle of the Qing Dynasty, and the Ice and Snow Pavilion built in the Qing Dynasty's Guangxu year, and the Half-Spring Garden built in the Qing Dynasty's year, are worth visiting.
Since the late 1990s, Nanping has been a favorite of directors and film production units. Besides 'Golden Armor' and 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon', many film and television works and variety shows have been filmed in Nanping.
Walking along the winding stone streets of Nanping, it feels like traveling through hundreds of years. This place is suitable for tourists to take portraits, and most of the tourists who come to visit do not like to join the crowd.
