Cuandixia Village Photos

Plan your Beijing village tour? Numerous villages are dotted in the suburbs of Beijing.  One village known as Cuandixia Village stands out as a unique window through which you can learn more about the folk culture and vernacular architecture in Beijing.

Cuandixia Village is nestled in a valley among the mountainous areas, 90km west of downtown Beijing. One and half hours driving brings day-trippers to this village.  Cuandixia Village is a supremely peaceful over-400-old village,  hugging a hillside in a valley with ancient Qing-Dynasty styled courtyards scaling many layers.

The courtyard buildings are spread like a huge fan spreading to the east and west side along a north-south axis.  The village running up the hillside is naturally  divided into the Upper village and Lower Village by a curved wall 200-meter long and 20-meter high.  Also 170-meter curve wall circles the village from the bottom of the populated hillside. Three north-south lanes connect the upper and lower villages, keeping the village from possible floods and robbery in the past.

A curved walking route brings you atop the slope of the valley south of Cuandixia Village, you may have a panoramic view of the village fanning on the hillside on the another side of valley.  You will clearly see a high wall cutting the village into upper and lower parts.

Many visitors would choose the two curved walking routes ( one loop waking trail ) – one curve takes you to the village and the other brings you up on the top of the hillside south of the village where you may have a bird’s-eye view of the village  hugging other side of the valley.

One thing we’d like to remind you that you won’t expect any paddy fields here in Cuandixia Villages. The remaining families in then village mainly live on rural tourism – offering home stays and food to tourists flocking here.

Listed as one of China’s famous historical villages, Cuandixia is a bright  pearl of China’s ancient building encompassing the profound northern China’s architecture. You see plentiful Chinese elements of traditional architecture – Courtyard buildings,  wall screens, arch gates with buildings scaling the hillside.

The rich and profound culture could be found from the Ming-dynasty relics, Qing-dynasty dwellings, old wall paintings,  ruined houses left over from the Second World War.  It is interesting to know that people  could still discern the revolutionary slogans painted the exterior walls in the village. Old stone rollers, millstones, old wells and tempes add much to the charming of Cuandixia Village.

Below are a set of photos for you to feel this picturesque ancient village of Cuandixia.

The Chinese character of Cuandixia ” 爨”.

The 200m along and 20m wide wall sections the village into the upper and the lower.  Several layer of houses hug the hillside with impressive views.

The 200m along and 20m wide wall sections the village into the upper and the lower
The 200m along and 20m wide wall sections the village into the upper and the lower

Zoom in the stone village of Cuandixia and you see clearly the black tiles, stone walls and wooden framed houses.

Zoom in the stone village of Cuandixia
Zoom in the stone village of Cuandixia

Well-preserved courtyards and hutongs around Guangzhou.

Well-preserved courtyards and hutongs around Guangzhou
Well-preserved courtyards and hutongs around Guangzhou

The narrow stone paved path and ancient houses with revolutionary slogans on the wall.

The narrow stone paved path and ancient houses.
The narrow stone paved path and ancient houses.

An entrance to a courtyard, now used as a homestay to boost local accommodations and rual tourism.

An entrance to a courtyard, now used as a homestay to boost loal accommodations and rual tourism.
An entrance to a courtyard, now used as a homestay to boost local accommodations and rual tourism.

Brick walls, red lanterns, yellow sweetcorn cobs.

Brick walls, red lanterns, yellow corns underthe sun.
Brick walls, red lanterns, yellow corns under the sun.

Inside a courtyard houses, you will see the yellow sweetcorn cobs.

Inside an courtyard houses, you will see the yello sweetcorn cobs
Inside a courtyard houses, you will see the yellow sweetcorn cobs

The highest house on the hillside.

The highest house on the hillside.
The highest house on the hillside.

Inside the courtyard with slabs paved ground and brick walls.

Inside the courtyard with slabs paved ground and brick walls.
Inside the courtyard with slabs paved ground and brick walls.

Many of the houses in the village have been turned into home stays.

Many of the houses in the village have been turned into homestays.
Many of the houses in the village have been turned into homestays.

An exquisite courtyard with a high north room.

An exquisite courtyard with a high north room.
An exquisite courtyard with a high north room.

A roof top view of the village

A roof top view of the village
A roof top view of the village

A glimpse of a room in a farmhouse turned guesthouse

A glimpse of a room in a farmhouse turned guesthouse
A glimpse of a room in a farmhouse turned guesthouse

Locally made shoes for babies known as tiger-headed shoes.

Locally made shoes for babies known as tiger-headed shoes
Locally made shoes for babies known as tiger-headed shoes

Tip: Hassle-free Beijing Guided Tours

If you don’t want to go the do-it-yourself route and prefer the hassle-free escorted tours,  here are some options for Beijing guided tours:

Beijing Day Tour
Beijing Tour Packages
Beijing Winter Tour
Beijing Autumn Tour
Great Wall Tour
Car Rental in Beijing
Beijing Tours
China City Tours
China Tour

Further Readings


Best Time to Visit Beijing
How to plan a trip to Beijing

Top 10 Attractions in Beijing
How to Visit Forbidden City
How to Visit Temple of Heaven
How to Visit Summer Palace
How to Visit Ming Tombs
How to Visit the Great Wall of China
How to Visit Tiananmen Square
How to Visit Hutongs
How to Visit Olympic Sites

Top 10 Markets in Beijing
Top 10 Shopping Malls in Beijing
Beijing Shopping

Wangfujing Walking Street
Qianmen Commercial Street
Gui Jie ( Ghost Street) Food Street

Any questions, just drop a line.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.