Wuyuan is hailed as “China’s Most Beautiful Countryside,” renowned for its vast fields of rapeseed flowers and traditional Hui-style architecture with white walls and dark tile roofs.
The famous “Autumn Harvest Sunning” in Huangling and the thousand-year-old Jiangwan Town attract countless visitors from far and wide.
Intangible cultural heritage such as Nuo Dance, Hui Opera, “Three Carvings,” and Xuan inkstones offer an unforgettable charm.
Wuyuan’s rich cultural legacy has produced many notable figures. Its beauty extends beyond well-known tourist spots like Huangling, Jiangwan, Likeng, and Wunyuzhou.
Hidden within Wuyuan are 20 “treasure” ancient villages that don’t require entrance fees.
1.Shangtan Village, Wuyuan
Shangtan Village is a quiet and lesser-known ancient settlement, also the filming location for the movie “I Am Not Madame Bovary.”
Under the thousand-year-old camphor tree, visitors can experience bamboo rafting, floating on clear waters and passing through rustic plank bridges, truly embodying the feeling of “sailing on emerald waves, people touring within a painting.”
2.Chaguan Village, Wuyuan
Located in Zheyuan Township of Wuyuan County, Chaguan Village is an ancient settlement built by Zhan Zhijian, son of Tang Dynasty military officer Zhan Bisheng, during Emperor Xizong’s reign, over 1,200 years ago.
The Chaguan waterfront is picturesque, centered around 28 ancient trees and an elegant arched bridge. The landscape includes features like “Floating Gauze on印石,” “Jijiu Pavilion,” and ancient post roads. In 2007, it was named a “Chinese Landscape Village.”
The “Jijiu Bridge” has become an iconic symbol of Wuyuan tourism. Looking upstream through the bridge arches reveals a layered vista of green mountains, clear waters, rice fields, and villages, offering a unique perspective.
3.Three-Arch Bridge in Duanxin Village, Wuyuan
In the dry reservoir bed of Duanxin Village stands a “Three-Arch Bridge,” known as Wuyuan’s “Strong Bridge.”
The bridge, officially named Yongji Bridge, was built in 1808 and has a 212-year history. Duanxin Village was once Wuyuan’s largest village, with a legend stating it spent “300 years underwater, 300 years above water.” Due to the construction of Duanxin Reservoir, the entire village was relocated, leaving only the Three-Arch Bridge to guard its legacy.
This stone bridge with three arches gradually submerges after spring rains. In autumn and winter, it reveals its true form, standing strong against wind and rain. In snowy winters, it presents a scene reminiscent of the “Broken Bridge in Snow.”
4.Duanxin Yi Village, Wuyuan
Yi Village is situated at the foot of Wulong Mountain in Duanxin, Wuyuan. It takes two hours by car from the county town and is a little-known small village. The area boasts beautiful scenery and excellent landscapes, making it a natural “uncut jade” among villages.
5.Jia Lu Village, Fuchun Town, Wuyuan
Jia Lu Village in Fuchun Town, Wuyuan, has a long history of umbrella making. Known for their dexterity, exquisite craftsmanship, and unique style, Jia Lu umbrellas were selected for the International Product Expo in 1936 and won a gold award. In Jia Lu, one can experience the essence of Jiangnan’s misty rain under a paper umbrella.
The umbrella-making tradition in Jia Lu Village can be traced back to the Southern Song Dynasty. In 1694, it was listed in the “Goods” chapter of the “Wuyuan County Chronicles,” and spread throughout the Yangtze River Basin with Hui merchants.
A folk song once praised: “Jingdezhen’s porcelain, Jia Lu’s umbrellas, and Hangzhou’s silk need no choosing.” Jia Lu umbrellas were as renowned as Jingdezhen porcelain and Hangzhou silk.
6.Zhang Village, Sikou Town, Wuyuan
Zhang Village is a small, undeveloped tourist spot, pristine and natural. To the south of the village lies a vast green lawn and a gently flowing stream. The village boasts what is claimed to be the longest bench bridge in China, connecting the two banks and the lawn.
The river water is deep and emerald green, reflecting the scenery on both banks, creating a beautiful, richly colored landscape painting.
7.Chakou Village, Duanxin Township, Wuyuan
Chakou Village, also known as Chakou (fork), is located in the southern mountainous area of Duanxin Township. It has a prime geographical location where three rivers converge, hence its name.
The village features a carved ancestral hall, a leisure center, and Lotus Square, which houses century-old red carp and flower boats for visitors to enjoy leisurely rides.
8.Changtang Village, Sikou Town, Wuyuan
Changtang Ancient Village is located in Sikou Town, Wuyuan County. It backs onto mountains and faces water, exemplifying natural harmony. Especially in March and April, the land near the river is filled with golden rapeseed flowers. The small river, golden flowers, village, and small mountains behind create an extremely beautiful rural scene.
9.Longwei Village, Xitou Township, Wuyuan
Longwei Village in Xitou Township, Wuyuan County, is also an ancient settlement that still preserves many old Hui-style buildings.
The village features blue brick and white walls with horse-head gables. Behind the village runs a river with jade-green, crystal-clear water. In autumn, the riverbank is lined with green bamboo and trees, with fiery red leaves. When the breeze blows, red leaves fall and float away, creating a beautiful scene in the shimmering light. It is one of the top ten maple viewing spots in Wuyuan.
10.Shichun Village, Qinghua Town, Wuyuan
Shichun Village has a concentrated population and beautiful environment. It features Ming and Qing Dynasty ancient buildings. A small stream flows from north to south along the eastern side of the village, running year-round with clear water. In summer, large areas of lotus flowers bloom in the ponds, presenting a gorgeous sight.
11.Shangyantian Village, Fuchun Town, Wuyuan
In Shangyantian Village, Fuchun Town, Wuyuan, lotus flowers bloom profusely every summer. The pavilions, streams, and ancient village with dark tile roofs form a particularly striking Jiangnan ink painting, a sight of breathtaking beauty.
12.Tang Village, Wuyuan
Tang Village, located in the suburbs of Wuyuan, has a history of nearly a thousand years. Entering Tang Village, visitors see the clear Lian River flowing through the village, hundreds of ancient camphor trees providing shade, a “broken bridge” spanning the lake, broad green spaces along the lakeshore, and verdant tea gardens. White geese frolic on the vast expanse of water, creating a picturesque scene.
13.Eighteen Li Tao Stream, Wuyuan
“Eighteen Li Tao Stream” consists of three natural villages: Kengtou, Zhifeng, and Kong Village.
Zhifeng, like an uncut jade, maintains its most natural state. The Pan family ancestral hall, Chengyi Hall, built during the Qianlong era, is renowned for its exquisite wood and brick carvings.
Kong Village is known as the hometown of scholars. By the river in the village stands a towering thousand-year-old camphor tree, a nationally protected species.
Kengtou Village is famous for its “two abundances” and “two specialties”: historically, it has produced many scholars and officials, and has many ancient bridges. It is also known for Kengtou rice wine and Lengshuitang fish.
14.Meiyuan Village, Fuchun Town, Wuyuan
Meiyuan Village, known for its connection to the “educated youth” movement, is located in Fuchun Town, Wuyuan. It lies on the ancient Hui-Rao post road, 42 kilometers from the county town and 23 kilometers from the Fuchun highway exit, making it easily accessible.
Meiyuan Village is the only tourist spot in Wuyuan themed around the culture of “educated youth”. It boasts lush forests, beautiful rural scenery, and ancient trees such as ginkgo and yew, which complement the charming lotus ponds.
15.Langshan Village, Duanxin Township, Wuyuan
Langshan, located in Duanxin Township, Wuyuan, at an altitude of over 800 meters, is a mysterious village atop a high mountain.
The people of Langshan have lived a secluded life for generations. The women are extremely hardworking, taking on most of the heavy farm work, while the men divide their time between farming and studying, living quite leisurely. This custom has even been praised by outsiders as a “remnant of a matriarchal clan system”, attracting countless people to explore its mysteries.
16.Jujing Village, Wuyuan
Jujing Village is a typical water-encircled, mountain-surrounded village. A small river forms a large semicircle, encircling the village for nearly a full circle, with high mountains surrounding it on all sides. A newly paved asphalt road follows the river in an arc around the village, with some wooden bridges connecting to the road. It has been called “the roundest village in the world” by people.
17.Youshan Village, Zhentou Town, Wuyuan
Youshan Village is located 65 kilometers west of Wuyuan County town. Surrounded by mountains and peaks, the Junyuan River flows from west to east through the village. Hui-style houses line both banks, complementing the lush forests, composing a typical Huizhou rural village scene – small bridges, flowing water, and houses.
18.Guankeng Village, Duanxin Township, Wuyuan
Guankeng Ancient Village is one of Wuyuan’s beautiful rural villages, nestled beside a beautiful high mountain lake and connected to the picturesque Jianglin scenery. The entire village is surrounded by primeval forest, giving it an exceptionally peaceful and comfortable atmosphere. Entering Guankeng is like stepping into a rare landscape painting.
19.Chapingtan Village, Tuochuan Township, Wuyuan
Chapingtan Village is located on a high mountain at an altitude of about 700 meters. In the eyes of many photography enthusiasts, it has earned the nickname “Heavenly Abode”.
The spring morning beauty of Chapingtan is truly beyond words. The misty sea of clouds, the scattered pear and peach blossoms among the black walls and white tiles, and the wisps of smoke rising with the spring light – for a moment, one truly believes they are in a fairyland.
20.Longchitai Village, Xitou Township, Wuyuan
Longchitai Village lies on a hillside covered with terraced fields. At the village entrance stand several tall maple trees. It is an ecologically pristine ancient village, rich in colors throughout the four seasons: yellow flowers in spring, lush green in summer, red maples in autumn, and snow in winter. For discerning photography enthusiasts, Longchitai Village in Wuyuan is absolutely a great place for photography.
