Get to know the essence of Xidi Village

The real attraction of Xidi, however, lies in the exquisite craftsmanship of the stone and woodcarvings that decorates the houses and larger halls. There are black marble doorframes, delicate stone sculptures of different plants and animals and many other works that are uniquely characteristic of Xidi and its surrounding area. A local quarry is to thank for the abundance of blue-black marble which was delicately shaped by artisans from the nearby village of Hecun.

Most of the dwellings in Xidi (the most famous destination for China vacation deals) are structured in a traditional 3-room or quadrangle courtyard shape, and decorated with elaborate canopies and eaves, wooden courtyard panels and wood, brick and stone carvings. Red Chinese couplets or duilian adorn the entrance pillars to each house, and deep grooves in the floor by the front door were used to help support barricades which stopped unwellcome intruders entering. The homes are typically illuminated by uncovered skylights int he center of the residence, and beneath the skylights stone throughs are placed to collect rainwater.

An interesting architectural detail in Xidi involves the dividing walls built between the houses, which are often built higher than the roofs of the dwellings in dorder to prevent fire from spreading. In an era when most houses were made predominately of wood and people used oil lamps to light their way at night the risk of building catching fire was high, and over time the villagers evolved many preventative practices against thins. One of the more extreme is that none of the houses in Xidi face south as this symboliss bad luch and fire, although this supersitition may have a more practical basis to do with the valley’s prevailing winds. You should know these things during your China best tours in Xidi

One architectral element of the dwellings that raises a few eyebrow in mordern times in the number of small upstairs window looking down onto the street outside. As mnay of the adult males in the village were merchants trading in salt or porcelain they would marry and then leave their wives at home to go to seek their fortune, of not returning for years on end; tables in some houses are split into two piece to symbolize the ‘half-half’ incomplete nature of the home. In the days of neo-Confuciannism it was generally accepted that women were of a lower status than their mal counterparts, and therefore wives usually didn’t venture outside or even downstairs for fear of causing scandal for their in-laws, so the small window were built for them to look out onto the outside world.

Xidi is a best place to learn the ancient Huizhou culture and customs during your travel to China

tags: China tourism