Cuandixia Village : the best preserved Ming Dynasty village in China
Custom made shoes (ads by locals)
The wooden door to the courtyard
Cuandixia Village is located in Mentougou District, about 90 kilometers from downtown Beijing. It was built in the Ming dynasty and has about 400 year history. It was preserved almost in the original state. The village has about 70 courtyards with 500 rooms which were built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).
The village, surrounded by mountains, stands on the northern gentle slope of the hills and, having being built in harmony with the terrain of the mountains. There are mainly quadrangle dwellings and a few courtyards with houses on three sides. On the walls, remain the maxims of managing family, inscriptions of the Ming and Qing Dynasties as well as the slogans of Anti-Japanese War period. Walking in the village, visitors will feel they have entered a historical village that has not been changed in hundreds of years, a contrary to the modem high rises in downtown Beijing only 100 km away. The village is surrounded by lush grass and trees and secluded by the mountains and connected by easy access road. It is an ideal place for weekend getaway for Beijing city residents. There are many bed and breakfast in the village. At evening, there are varied amusements, such as outdoor movies and campfire parties.
The legend has it that the ancestors of the village migrated from Shanxi Province during the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty. Because the village is located on the junction between Shanxi and Beijing, it was very prosperous during the Qing Dynasty. However, the village was declining after the new roads were built in the late Qing Dynasty and the old road was less travelled. Today, most of the able bodied people left the village to pursuit better life in big cities such as Beijing. That has changed a bit during the recent years as the Beijing resident and international tourists began to flock in. There are some local businesses that are mainly geared towards tourism, such as tea houses and bed band breakfast. The village was made famous as a Chinese hit movie: Cell phone (shouji) by famed director Feng Xiaogang was shot here.
By Bus: About 150 meters west of Pingguoyuan Subway Station, take Bus No.929 Zhi (929 ?) to Cuandixiacun Lukou at 7:30, or 12:40.
Recommended itinerary: A two day trip.
Day 1: Downtown to Baihua Mountain. Try to start early and get there before lunch time. Hike up the mountain or take a cable car. Get down before sunset. Stay in one of the local hotels. Baihua Mountain has satisfying facilities for dining, accommodations and entertainment. The Baihuashan Hotel is located at the base of the mountain.
Day 2: Visit the Dragon Gate Valley (Longmen Jian) in the morning and head for the Chuandixia village (a village dated back to Ming Dynasty). Head back to Beijing late afternoon.
