Hongcun and Xidi
In 2000 two ancient Chinese villages, Hongcun and Xidi in Anhui Province, were selected for the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List. The villages and their relics are preserved as a national historical treasure to interpret China's feudal rural past. Founded in 1131 by the Wang family, Hongcun thrived during the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing (1644–1912) dynasties. Xidi was built in the Northern Song dynasty (960–1126). Anhui also has a Neolithic site archaeologists hypothesized might be the origin of Chinese civilization.
Shaped like an ox, Hongcun's design emphasizes waterways. Approximately 140 historical stone buildings, courtyards, and alleys form a living museum. Lexu Hall, the Wang family ancestral temple, is located by a pond. Tourists can visit homes and purchase souvenirs related to village and family history. The village was the location for the 2000 movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
The architectural legacy of both villages reveals intricate workmanship, especially carvings, engraved in wooden beams, depicting social activities such as the Lantern Festival. Significant stone masonry includes a memorial archway at Xidi built in 1578.
Another southern Anhui ancient village site, at Lu'an, was discovered in fall 2000. Archaeologists estimated this village existed during the Western Zhou dynasty (1045–771 BCE). Artifacts, including human and animal skeletons and weapons, provide insight into technological developments and the community's agricultural, trading, and military concerns.
Further Reading
Hongkai Tan. (2001) "Labyrinth to a Distant Past." China Daily (6 September).
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