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November 30, 2016

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Home » City specials » Hangzhou

Traditions, history abide in protected villages

By Wu Huixin | November 30, 2016, Wednesday | Print Edition

EARLIER this month, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development named 21 Hangzhou villages in its fourth batch of Chinese traditional protected villages. Local governments are required to preserve the original architecture and protect local ways of life in villages that carry this designation.

In most cases, these historic villages have resisted the tide of change that’s swept so many parts of China. The old wood-and-brick buildings and traditional customs found in these villages are now recognized as part of the country’s rich history.

Today, Shanghai Daily takes a look at three of these villages. Located one to two hours’ outside of downtown Hangzhou by car, these villages are well worth a weekend trip.

Dongziguan Village

The village is situated near the border of Fuyang District and Tonglu County. In the past, Dongziguan was considered of vital militarily importance because of its location near the Fuchun and Qianjiang rivers. Emperors often stationed armies there to control the strategic pass.

An official from the Song Dynasty (960-1279) died and was buried in the nearby Ziwei Hill. According to legend, a group of catalpa trees sprang up around his grave near the eastern side of the river pass. For this reason, the village was named Dongziguan, which literally means “eastward catalpa trees at the pass” in Chinese.

Nowadays, only the Yueshi Temple stands on the hill. It dates to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and is dedicated to the God of Earth. Over the centuries, the temple fell into ruin and was restored numerous times. Today, it is a protected site in Fuyang District.

In modern times, the village’s fame was spread by Yu Dafu, a noted modern Chinese short story writer and poet. In a novel of the same name, Yu wrote about the village’s pastoral landscapes.

The village boasts hundreds of residential buildings dating to the Qing Dynasty. With the passage of time though, many houses fell into disrepair. Over the past two years, the local government has renovated the village without relocating residents. Many protected sites were also revamped.

 

How to get there: G25 Expressway — 320 National Road

Yinkeng Village

The village is located at the intersection of the Yinkeng and Huyuan creeks. The Zhong family has dominated the area ever since they relocated there from Jiangsu Province in the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD220).

According to historical records, gangs of robbers and bandits often congregated in the village as its remote location near the borders of Fuyang, Tonglu and Pujiang counties put it outside the reach of the local court.

To defend themselves against these brigands, the Zhong family built a large communal residence where they could dwell in safety. It took them more than 70 years to finish work on the structure, but today the enormous house is the highlight of the village. It is now listed as a protected structure.

The large, well-preserved mansion has traditional Hangzhou-style up-turned eaves, painted rafters and carved windows. It has some 200 rooms covering nearly 6,000 square meters. At present, there are around 300 members of the Zhong clan still living in this enormous mansion.

In accordance with fengshui precepts, the structure has hills to its north and water to the south. To protect against fire, the building has wells and a drainage system in its enclosed patios.

Like other traditional Hangzhou houses, its wooden windows and rafters are engraved with sophisticated patterns that include mythical creatures, legendary characters, flowers and auspicious clouds which capture the craftsmanship of the region.

 

How to get there: G25 Expressway — 307 National Road — 414 County Road — 313 County Road — 516 County Road

Huri Village

Hidden in the lush vegetation of Zhexi Canyon, Huri is a small village located in Lin’an County.

The natural beauty of the village has long attracted shutterbugs. But in the past, its appeal was limited by shabby housing, poor sanitation and a road that was often reduced to a muddy path.

Starting in 2007, locals began to build two-floor villas beside the original village site. They also retained the houses built in the Republic of China era (1912-1949). Villas were required to have white walls and red roofs in order to create a picturesque appearance that would complement the natural surroundings. The addition of an asphalt road, public toilets and a garbage collecting point also helped in the revamp.

Natives make a living by growing hickory trees. The nuts from these trees are a popular snack in the Yangtze River Delta area. Visitors can pick up nuts here at a discount compared to city supermarkets.

 

How to get there: G56 Expressway — 102 National Road — 209 National Road

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