Xidi Red Village Two-Day Tour Travel Guide 2017

Actually, Xidi and Hongcun are not the same place, but the difference may not be that big. The scenery of this place is very good. The air is fresh and the scenery is abundant. The buildings here are antique and have some traces of the past, but they are also the characteristics of this place.

Xidi is about 50 kilometers away from the urban area and 40 kilometers away from Huangshan Scenic Area. There are direct buses to each station, and you can get there in about an hour. Attractions are on the roadside. If you drive along the road, you can see the signboards of the attractions. It’s not difficult to find, and you don’t have to worry about going to the wrong place. The entrance fee to Xidi Scenic Area is 104 yuan, and the parking fee is 5 yuan.

Buy tickets, check in, and enter the scenic spot. You can see the iconic stone sculptures of the "5A" scenic spot at the foot of the lake. There were many sketching students sitting by the lake opposite.

The lake at the entrance of the village is called "Mingjing Lake". Anyone who knows Huizhou culture knows that almost all ancient villages in Huizhou have a lake at the entrance of the village. The first is to collect river water flowing out of the village to gather wealth and pray for blessings. Second, it is also for residential safety to prevent drought and fires. Therefore, the location of the ancient village became very elegant.

Huizhou Folk Customs - The first place to play is the "Hydrangea Show" at the entrance of the scenic spot. Several actors throw hydrangeas in "Beauty Returns". According to custom, I don’t know if the person catching the ball can leave the scenic area.

Continue walking and you can see the tall arches beside the lake. This archway is the "Hu" archway, which was built in the sixth year of Wanli in the Ming Dynasty. It is of merit type in nature. At that time, in order to commend Hu's outstanding achievements in serving as an official for 21 years, the imperial court gave him a great honor and allowed him to erect an arch in his hometown. In fact, there were many archways before Xidi, but they were destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. The reason why this archway is preserved is because the "slogan" was written on it. The cinnabar used to write the slogan at that time is still clearly visible today.

The road in Xicun is paved with bluestone slabs, the material of which is the same as the previous archway, and is called "Yixian Qing". The characteristic of this kind of slate is that it turns black when exposed to water and becomes bright when worn. Therefore, when you walk on the road, you can see the bluestone sparkling under your feet.

Walking into the village, a group of Huizhou-style buildings are displayed in front of you. Dafenwa Horsehead Wall connects the water and land to Qingshi Lane.

Since there were many tourists visiting the village that day, the tour guide took us to several unique attractions. The rest of the time was free for everyone. By the way, there are free tour guides in the scenic spots, and you can also scan the QR code to listen to the explanations on WeChat in other scenic spots, which is very convenient.

When you enter the lobby of each building, you can see similar scenery. The couplets on the Eight Immortals Table, the East Vase and the West Mirror, and the calligraphy and painting ancient clock are all typical displays of Anhui culture. Whenever the bell rings, it has the same sound as the vase and mirror, which means peace in life. It also expresses the most sincere prayers of Huizhou people to their family members and people around them who go out to do business. In addition, the couplets on every household in Xidi are also a highlight of the scenic spot. Many couplets reflect the euphemistic and modest style of Huizhou people and are also an external manifestation of etiquette.

Interesting "Crescent Table" In some buildings, you can see half a table leaning against two walls. These tables are called "crescent tables", and together they form a round table, which also symbolizes reunion; after being separated for half a month, they are used against the wall. In ancient Huizhou families, most men went out to do business. When the male protagonist is away, the family eats at half the table. When the male protagonist has time to go home, his other half will use it together. Therefore, when guests come to visit, they can know whether the host is at home by seeing the use of the table. At the same time, the elderly, wives and children at home always look forward to using the complete table.

This stone tablet was originally a symbol of the village entrance. In order to protect the stele during the Cultural Revolution, the locals took it down, with the letters facing down, and laid it on the ground to use as bricks. Later, the owner felt it was a pity, so he took the stele home and hid it. Afterwards

The architectural style of this house is obviously incompatible with the local area, but many people find it very familiar. In fact, the owner's ancestors did business in the north. After accepting the image of northern culture, they built the house in the style of a courtyard house.

The skylight above the tall courtyard wall is also one of the most important features of Huizhou architecture, embodying the idea that "the four waters belong to the Tang and Ming Dynasties, and the fertile water does not flow to outsiders' fields". Huizhou merchants were prosperous in ancient times, and many Huizhou people went out to do business. Not surprisingly, they wish to amass wealth and treasure.

Have you seen natural air conditioners? Many people don’t know the purpose of this small brick. In fact, this is the "temperature control" system considered when building houses in ancient times, which is equivalent to our current air conditioning system. The underground temperature is relatively constant and the temperature difference will not be too large. When people in the house feel too hot or too cold, the cover is lifted off the green bricks, and the air flow inside can regulate the problem in the house. Although this system has great limitations, it also reflects the extraordinary wisdom of Huizhou people.

The character "filial piety" is an authentic work by Zhu, a famous Neo-Confucian scholar in the Song Dynasty. The writing style is thick and majestic. The most distinctive thing is that the word "filial piety" makes full use of the pictographic characteristics of Chinese characters. The upper part looks like a young man bowing his head in respect to his elders, while the back of his face looks like a monkey's head, which means respecting the elderly and respecting others. an animal.

Walking in the village, you can see alleys and students sketching everywhere.

The entire scenic spot takes about an hour and a half. Here, you can appreciate the magnificence of Huizhou architecture and the profound Huizhou culture. At the same time, the scenic area combines ancient and modern times, and the modern atmosphere permeates the streets and alleys, allowing the ancient villages to regain their splendor in the new era.

If you want to calm down and read about Huizhou carefully, Xidi is definitely the ideal place to go.