Nanping Village

Nanping Village is controlled by Yixian County. The village has a history of more than 1000 years. It is one of the most important homes of the Huizhou merchants.

Like a labyrinth, Nanping Village boasts eight ancient ancestral temples and 300 buildings of Ming and Qing dynasties that are interconnected by long and narrow alleys. The Ancestral temples, such as “Kuiguang Temple” and “Xuzhi Temple” are magnificently constructed; the folk houses, such as “Shensi Hall”, “Xiaoyanglou”, and “Baoy Study” are very elegantly decorated and stylistically unique. The ancient trees at the entrance of the village are towering in the sky; the old bridges are lying quietly across the streams; the 72 interlinked ancient alleys present a mysterious atmosphere; crystal-clean water springs out of the 36 ancient wells.

Many celebrities, including the well-known calligrapher Yao Nai (1731 – 1815), have left much-told stories. Many movies, including “Ju Dou”, directed by Zhang Yimou, and “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” by Ang Lee have been shot here. This village represents the best of its kind in southern Anhui province for its long and narrow alleys. It is agreed that one cannot miss the village if he wishes to explore the vicissitudes of Huizhou merchants, to feel the ancient patriarchal clan system, and to experience the geomantic design of the ancient villages in Anhui province.