There are many hidden unknown ancient villages in Hangzhou all of which are vast in territory and resources. Buildings have white walls and black tiles, piled up by stones which make them look primitive and simple. Alleys are deep and serene, and witnessing an old man in a straw rain cape walking slowly down the flagstone path with a bamboo pole balanced on his shoulders, is what makes these obscure villages even more intriguing.
Yangjia Ancient Village
Yangjia Ancient Village is located at the junction of Fuyang, Lin’an and Tonglu. This remote ancient village is far from the madding crowd. Its picturesque scenery reveals a feeling of primitive simplicity and purity. Every late autumn, the old village and ancient dwellings are enveloped by ginkgo leaves and everywhere is overrun with an idyllic scene. Wide-spread ginkgo trees form a small ginkgo forest which glows golden everywhere you look.
Especially in the early morning or at sunset, in the clouds and mist, the sunlight flickers a little through the golden leaves. When the breeze blows, the forest looks semi-transparent. Seeing the picturesque village in the background of mist and smoke from kitchen chimneys is like being in another world.
Dawu Ancient Village
Dawu Ancient village is a small village with a heavy influence of southern China where hard working and intelligent civilians built mountain residences by water using only locally available gray stones. Almost every residence has a window that features the pattern of a carp jumping over the dragon gate, as well as a stream flowing by at the door. Surrounded by mountains, the air is filled with the scent of soil which brings out a rustic feeling.
Jiu Yang Ping
Beautiful ancient villages like Jiu Yang Ping in Fuyang are far and few between. Acknowledged as “the most beautiful mountain village of Fuyang” and one of “the prettiest hiking paths”, Jiu Yang Ping is situated in a valley on the mountainside of the Tangfeng Peak (also called Tang’e Peak in ancient times), the second highest peak in Fuyang. Jiu Yang Ping is a small mountain village in the upstream region of Xiang Stream which only has ten farmhouses built of earth and stone. Here there are flagstone mountain paths, tier upon tier of terrace fields, and towering ancient trees. After climbing over the low mountains, you’ll see natural huge rocks standing in a row on the mountain ridge, and acting as a lofty and continuous stone wall, hence its name “Stone Great Wall”.
Chouxi Village
Chouxi Village, seated in Dayuan Town, Fuyang District, Zhejiang Province, is noted for its mountains, clear water and fresh air. Viewed from afar, the village is surrounded by mountains on three sides in which there are lush groves, elongated bamboos, red flowers, green willows and a stream that flows along to the village’s breeze.
The beautiful Chouxi Village has houses with yellow walls and black tiles in a picturesque disorder, clean-cut stairs and alleys. There are a lot of students sketching in the alleys of the village. They scatter in the corners and sit on the flagstones by twos and threes, gazing silently into the overhanging eaves, tall walls, rotten gates, and the time-flavored tranquility.
Xiangxi Village
There is a place in Xindeng Town, Fuyang, that lies reclusive in the valley with green hills all around it. Trees make a pleasant shade, streams make a graceful twine. The rolling, forceful, and pretty hills on the horizon resemble lotus flowers in full bloom. All the buildings look elegant with white walls and black tiles, cornice and rake angle, scattering randomly in black and white. Here is the Xiangxi Village, which looks gentle and memorable in the background of green mountains.
This village also has an abundance of gingko trees, 28 century-old ones to be exact, among which are two millennial ginkgo trees that stand in the Stone Gate Forest Park. Year after year, spring goes away and autumn comes and the ginkgo leaves always remain sparkling under the sunshine. Copper coin-like leaves fall around the trunks and pave the ground with the most romantic golden carpet.