Archive for the ‘Longyan Travel’ Category

Peitian Village in Fujian

Tuesday, September 15th, 2020
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Plan your Fujian Tour? Peitian Village is a place worth visiting in Fujian. The cluster of the ancient Ming and Qing buildings in the Peitian Village is one of the three kinds of vernacular Hakkak dwellings. The other two are Tulou (clay buildings) in Southwest Fujian and Weilong Wu (circled dragon houses) in Meizhou of east Guangdong.

The Peitian Village is located in Liancheng County of Longyan City in west Fujian. It is about 100km northeast of Longyan and 300km northeast of Xiamen. The Ming and Qing building complex has been well preserved with a history of over 800 years.

The ancient building cluster includes 30 magnificent houses, 21 ancestral halls, 6 academies of classical learning, 2 memorial archways, and a 1000- meter long ancient street paved with cobblestones.
All the grand buildings in Peitian Village are based on the structure of the “Nine Halls and Eighteen Patios”. “9 Halls” mean door hall, lower hall, middle hall, upper hall, downstairs hall, upstairs hall, back hall, left flower hall, and right flower hall. The 18 patios (courtyards) include 5 yards in the entrance halls, 10 yards in the crosswise houses and 3 yards in the back hall. Each building is decorated with reliefs, couplets and stone steles. It is a wonder in the culture and architecture radiating from the unique buildings built by the Hakka people, attracting tourists from all over the world each year.

The history of Peitian Village can be traced to the year 1344 when the Wu family clan immigrated from northen China here in Peitian. They toiled on the limited land and created a splendid Hakka culture and the Hakka house building structure surrounded by the mountains and a river. Today there are about 300 households with a population of 1400 in the village with the same surname “Wu”.

Peitian Village is more than just an ancient village teemed with Ming and Qing styled buildings, it is a beautiful manor, a water and mountain painting, a history book of Hakka people and Hakka culture. Peitian Village is listed as one of the 10 most idyllic villages in China, a key national level attraction.

We walked on the cobblestoned and slabs paved village road and entered the village through a stone archway flanked by the hill on the left and dense trees on the right, serving as a screen – a typical Chinese architecture.
The Stone Archway Entrance to Peitian Village

The Stone Archway Entrance to Peitian Village

Now we entered the village, amazed by its tranquility and beauty.

Now we entered the village, amazed by its tranquility and beauty.

Hens were carefreely wandering in the yard by the village house.

Hens were carefreely wandering in the yard by the village house.

Little sign of commercialization, the local villager were simple, friendly.

Little sign of commercialization, the local villager were simple, friendly.

“Dafu Di” (Senior Officials Mansion)

We first visited the grand building “Dafu Di” (Senior Officials Mansion), also known as “Jishu Tang” ( Abode of Herutage). The huge complex was built in 1884 and completed in 1894, financed by 10 plus families. The complex occupies an area of 6,900 square meters, with 18 halls, 24 patios, and 108 rooms. This is the largest well-preserved residential complex in Peitian Village. The three-character inscription on the top of the inner gate shows the high status of the owner of the magnificent house.

Outer Gate of the grand building “Dafu Di” (Senior Officials Mansion), also known as “Jishu Tang” ( Abode of Heritage). The inscription on the top of the outer gate “The Three Terraces Forming Auspiciousness” (三台拱瑞) means “Three Stars shine intto the house”.

The three-character (大夫第) inscription on the top of the inner gate shows the high status of the owner of the magnificent house.

Outer Gate of the grand building – Dafu Di

Inside the house are a number of merits plaque for successful candidates for imperial examinations and plaques for the titled offered by the imperial mandates, plaques for honorary messages.

Inside the house are a number of merits plaque

Wooden Carved Hand Carvings, reliefs, sculptures.

Wooden Carved Hand Carvings, reliefs, sculptures.

One Thousand Meter Cobblestone Road in the Village

The 1000 meter long cobblestone road winding in the village is flanked on the inner side by a number of ancestral halls. All the ancestral halls were elaborately built with upturned eves, elegant reliefs and sculptures. The ancient cobblestone paved road The water passing covertly under the cobblestone paved road.

The water passing covertly under the cobblestone paved road.

The two ancestral halls – Heng and Jin are adjacent to each other. They were built during the Kangxi and Qianlong respectively in Qing Dynasty. Inside the halls are gilded shrines for ancestors. The beams, arches, columns were elaborately engraved and painted. The Ancestral Hall for Revered Heng.

The Ancestral Hall for Revered Heng

The Ancestral Hall for Revered Jin

The Ancestral Hall for Revered Jin

The House of “Jinshi Di” (Scholar’s Mansion)

The house of “Jinshi Di” is the former residence of Wu Bozheng, who was the senior imperial bodyguard in Qing Dynasty. In the lower hall hangs the golden horizontal inscription of “Jinshi”. 

the golden horizontal inscription of Jinshi

In the upper hall hangs the inscribed board of “Wuban Tang”

In the upper hall hangs the inscribed board of Wuben Tang

In the middle of the courtyard lies a big stone for exercising which weighs more than 150kg.

In the middle of the courtyard lies a big stone for exercising which weighs more than 150kg

The engraved windows in the hall

The engraved windows in the hall

Stately Home of Reception (官厅)

Constructed in the period of Emperial Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty, the Stately Home of Recepetion is a five-row and three-side room structure and is a typical nine-hall and 18-patio complex. A screen faces the gate of the house and there is also a “moon pond” in front of the gate.

The Moon Pond in front of the Gate 

The Moon Pond in front of the Gate

The inner gate of the Stately Home of Recepetion

The inner gate of the Stately Home of Recepetion

An old lady selling the local products

An old lady selling the local products

Catching small fishes in the ditch

A good helper

A good helper

Peitian Village Travel Tips

1. Entrance fee: RMB 50
2. Enquiry Tel: 0597 – 8388998
3. Complaint Tel: 0597 – 8921895
4. Assistance tel: 0597 – 8388095
5. Liancheng Tourism Bureau Tel: 0597 – 8921895
6. 100km northeast of Longyan City
7. 300km northeast of Xiamen city

Hassle-free Fujian 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 Fujian guided tours:

Fujian Tour
Xiamen Tour
Wuyishan Tour
Fujian Tulou Tour
Xiamen Yongding Tulou One Day Tour
Wuyi Mountain 3 Days Tour
Xiamen Quanzhou Putian Meizhou Island Fuzhou Wuyishan 8 Day Tour

Further Readings


Top 10 Attractions in Fujian
Top 10 Attractions in Xiamen
Top 10 Attractions in Wuyishan
Jiqinglou, Chuxi Tulou Cluster
Chengqilou, Gaobei Tulou Cluster
Zhengchenglou, Hongkeng Tulou Cluster
Peitian Village in Fujian

Any questions,just drop a line.

Xiayang Town, Xiayang Town Yongding

Friday, September 16th, 2011

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Xiayang Town is one of the ten towns under the administration of Yongding County in Southwest Fujian Province. The local government of Xiayang Town administrates 20 villages with its seat at Xiayang Village.
 
Xiayang Town lies about 36km southest of Fengcheng Town where the Yongding Government is located. It is to the south of Qiling Township, nicknamed “the South Gate” of West Fujian. Xiayang Town is 116km north of Meizhou in Guangdong Province, so many Guangzdong travelers would drive through Meizhou to Xiayang to visit Chuxi Tulou Cluster instead of first going to Xiamen.
 
The downtown of Xiayang Town

The downtown of Xiayang Town

 
Rich Hot Spring Resources
Lying on the Jinfeng Stream area, Xiayang Town has rich water resources. Xiayang Town also has plentiful terrestrial heat with many hot springs dotted around the villages of Xiaxu, Taiping, Dongyang and Tangzi. Xiaxu Village, especially has the hottest hot spring as high as 70 degrees with PH 7-8. The hot spring industry is developing every fast. There are some hot spring resorts in the town. Currently Capital of Hakka Hot Spring Resort is the best hot spring resort in the town.
 
Capital of Hakka Hot Spring Resort is the best hot spring resort in the town. 

Capital of Hakka Hot Spring Resort is the best hot spring resort in the town.

 
 
Important Hometown of Oversea Chinese
Xiayang Town has oversea Chines of 7,6000 from Taiwan, Macao, Hong Kong and other parts of the world. Over 5,600 households in the Town have relatives of oversea Chinese. There are also over 1000 returned oversea Chinese. Each year the money remitance from oversea Chinese accounts for the 60% of the total income of Xiayang County. Especially the ancient Zhongchuan Village was the cradle of the oversea Chinese.
 
There are many Hakka leaders both in Politics and in Business around the world who are from Zhongchuan Village of Xiayang Town. Aw Boon Par (1886 – 1944) Aw Boon Haw (1884 – 1954) were among the most famous overseas Chinese in 1930s and 40s. “That which is derived from society, should be returned to society” is Aw Boon Haw’s motto.
 
 
Hubao Villa (Har Paw Villa) in Zhongchuan Village in Xiayang Town. 

Hubao Villa (Har Paw Villa) in Zhongchuan Village in Xiayang Town

 
 
Tulou Cluster at Chuxi Village of Xiayang Town

Chuxi Tulou Cluster is situated on the hillside, 15km from the downtown of Xiayang Town, about 40km southeast of Yongding County and 230km southwest of Xiamen City. There are five circular Tulou buildings and over a dozen of rectangular in shape in Chuxi village. 
 
The Jiqinglou is typical of the Hakka earth buildings in Chuxi Tulou Cluster. Jiqinglou was built in 1419 during the reign of Emperor Yongle in Ming Dynasty. It stands on the south and faces the north.
 

Chuxi Tulou Cluster

 
Xiayang Town Travel Tips
1. Enquiry: 0597 – 5586550
2. You may stay overnight in the downtown of Xiayang Town which has very nice hot spring hotels.
3. Chuxi Tulou Cluster also offers basic accommodations.
4. No public shuttle buses going among Chuxi Cluster, Zhongchuan Village and other tulou cluster. Bargain with private van, motor bikes forr the transfer

Qiling, Qiling Town in Yongding Fujian

Thursday, September 15th, 2011

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Qiling Township is under the administration of Yongding County with its seat at Fengcheng Town. Qiling Town is 20km east of Fengcheng Town where the Yongding Government is located.
 
Qiling Township lies at an important crossroad which leads to Longyan in the north, Hongkeng and Gaobei Tulou clusters in the east and Chuxi Tulou in the south. A roundabout is situated in the center of the town and every day a great number of vehicles passing by the roundabout in Qiling Township.
 
 
Signboard pointing to the Tulou Buildings in the east, Longyan in the north and Guangzhou in the south.

Signboard pointing to the Tulou Buildings in the east, Longyan in the north and Guangzhou in the south.

 
 
The main street in Qiling Township 
The main street in Qiling Township