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Hongcun Village (Tips, Photos & Map)

Wednesday, October 20th, 2021

Hongcun Village is located at the foot of the southwest side of Mt. Huangshan, only 11kms away from Yixian town, 60km northwest of Huangshan City.

The triangle of Hongcun, Huangshan Mount and Huangshan City ( Goolge)

The whole village is like a buffalo lying on its side surrounded by green hills and blue water with dwelling houses its “body”, South Lake its “belly”, Moon Pool its “stomach”, Leigang Hill the “head”, two huge trees the “horns”, a winding stream as the “intestines” and the four bridges as the “four feet”.

Hongcun Village is typical of Huizhou Dwellings, one of the vernacular dwellings in China, which are adapted to the characters of hills and waters there and gave full play to them. Hongcun Village is a village of rivers and lakes, like a Chinese paintingscroll rolling before you.

The village now boasts 158 dwelling houses dating back to the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, nearly 140 are still in good shape. Hongcun Village was added to the list of the World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in late 2000.

Follow me to explore Hongcun Village.

Hongcun Village with hills behind and water in front.

Hongcun is located northward against Leigang Hill and south on the South Lake. The water from the South Lake is distributed through the channels to each household in the village.

Like a Chinese painting scroll rolling before you.

Fine art students sketching and painting

It’s amazing! Shoot and take it home!

Entering the village.

The village now boasts 158 dwelling houses dating back to the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties.

Still fascinated by the unique structure of the village with streamlets distributed into the village from South Lake.

Still fascinated the unique structure of the village with streamlets distributed into the village.

This family is selling fruits and local snacks.

South Lake Academy (南胡书院)

Also called Yiwen Private School with an area of 6600 square meters. It was built in Jiaqing era of Qing Dynasty (1814).

As a typical Huizhou academy, it consists of Zhidao Hall, Qimeng Hall, Huiwen Hall, Lake Viewing Mansion and Zhi Garden. Zhidao Hall.

Water Channels in the village (宏村水系)

The general channels are 60cm and one meter deep, crossing circuitously through the lanes of the villages from the northwestward to southeastward extending in all directions.

In every dooryard flows a limpid streamlet. Like a blood circulatory system, the channel system stimulates the spiritual and material life of the village.

The channel system plays of the role of washing, fire protection, drainage and adjustment of temperature.

All the streamlets flowing through the channels finally converge on a pond – Moon Pond (月沼) at the center of the village. Washing by the Moon Pool.

Taking wedding photos by the Moon Pool.

Huizhou Style Dwellings by the Moon Pool

People, houses, ducks and the pool

Hills, houses and the Moon Pool

Chengzhi Hall (承志堂)

Built in the fifth year of Xianfeng era of the Qing Dynasty (1855), it covers an area of 2,110 square meters. The main hall is in front and at the back is built with two-storey-bat structure. It consists of a study, shrine, pond, garden, a kitchen, a well and 28 rooms.

The exquisite carving, red columns and golden painted beams make it known as ” a forbidden city in the countryside”.

A narrow lane leading to Chengzhi Hall

Inside the main gate

The two story building at the back

Chengzhi Hall

Exquisitely carved window

Exquisitely carved columns and beams

Bye, Hongcun!

Hassle-free Huangshan 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 guided tours to Huangshan:

Huangshan Tour
Huangshan Highlight One Day Group Tour
3 Day Huangshan & Hongcun Village Tour
Beijing Huangshan Hongcun 3 Day Round Trip by High Speed Train
Hangzhou Huangshan Hongcun 3 Day Tour By High – Speed Train
Shanghai Huangshan 3 Day Tour by High Speed Train
Anhui Tour

2km Walk from Beiyun Hotel to Yungu New Cable Car Station

We are now starting the foggy walking up and down to the Yungun New Cable car Station.

The porter is following us carrying 4 suitcases. A suitcase is charged at the cost of RMB 100 carrying from Beiyun Hotel to New Yungu Cable Car Station.

We have to climb over the Bright Summit again.

On the way, we meet lot of hikers in defiance of the foggy and drizzle day.

At 10:00am, we take the cable car down to the base of Huangshan in the fog.

Low visibility driving from the base to Tangkou Town

We arrive at Tangkou Town, finding that there is no fog with good visibility.

Hassle-free Huangshan 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 guided tours to Huangshan:

See the First Light of the Morning (Dawn)

The sunrise time for today was 6:05am. I set my morning call at 5:20am. After simple washing and putting on the winter jacket, I went down to the hotel lobby, finding many tenants like me hurrying out to see the first light of the morning at Dawn Pavilion, the best point to view the dawn and twilight in Huangshan.

It was still dark outside. Some people climbed up to the Dawn Pavilion by using flashlights. Hiking for about 500 meters, we got to the Dawn Pavilion to the north of our Beihai Hotel.

We were lucky to catch the dawn and twilight just in time, but a little disappointed that the sunrise was blocked by the Beginning-to-believe Peak to our east. Maybe that’s why it is called “Dawn Pavilion” instead of “Sunrise Pavilion”.

The Beginning-to-believe Peak in silhouette during the Dawn

The Beginning-to-believe Peak in silhouette during the twilight

1.5km Walk from Beihai Hotel to Red Cloud Cableway Station

At 8:30 we started our 1.5km walk towards Taiping Telpher with its upper station called”Red Cloud Cableway Station” and “Songgu Cableway Station” down the mountain.

We rambled along the stone paved roads winding under arched trees in colours. One pine tree caught my eyed – “Tuanjiesong”. The tree is 14.5 meters high. We also passed Xihai Hotel and Cloud Dispelling Hotel (where we has lunch later) before we got to Taiping Cableway.

he Pine Tree is called Tuanjiesong, 14.5 meters high

Taking Taiping Telpher (Cable Car Station)

It was my time to take Taiping Cableway. The upper station is called “Red Cloud Station” since it is nestled by the side of Red Cloud Peak, also a perfect point to see the sunset.

Unlike Yungu Telpher (Cable Station), Taiping Telpher runs every half hour with a huge cable car holding around 30-40 people per time.

The 10-minute cable car experience was amazing! It was thrilled to view the picturesque peaks, rocks and trees passing by. The passengers on the car were all busy in taking photos.