Underrated Destinations in Anhui: A Journey into Hui-style Architecture 🏞️

I've always longed to explore Hui-style architecture, but somehow I always seemed to forget about it during my previous trips. This time, taking advantage of a self-driving tour, I planned a trip to Huangshan and was really looking forward to the journey along the way. It truly lived up to my expectations!

Huangshan City isn't just home to Huangshan Mountain; it also boasts Hui-style architecture. This time, I selected three popular and representative ancient villages, each with its own unique charm. I loved them all, and here are the features of each village:

Chengkan

• This was my favorite place during this trip. It's extremely quiet, with the least commercialization among the ancient villages I visited. It's an original ancient village with a unique Bagua (Eight Trigrams) layout and excellent feng shui. When I arrived, it just started to rain, creating a beautiful ink-wash painting of Huizhou. It was truly a place worth visiting. 🤍🖤

• There are still many local residents in the village. I even met an old lady washing clothes by the river. I really love this kind of peaceful and quiet atmosphere, where you can take photos freely.

• I had Hui cuisine at Huanxiu Tower in the scenic area. The prices were a bit high, but the food was of above-average quality. It was worth it to have a meal by the river, as it created a great atmosphere. I stayed at a homestay near the north gate at night. The host was very friendly, and the environment was nice.

Xidi Ancient Village

I arrived at Xidi at 11 a.m. on the second day, about an hour's drive from Chengkan.

• At first, I felt that it was a bit commercialized compared to Chengkan because there were many shops. However, there were also many interesting ones.
• I bought a dress and a pair of earrings that I really liked. They were affordable. I also bought some hand-painted refrigerator magnets, which were beautiful and interesting.
• The Hui-style architecture here is really beautiful. You must climb to the viewing platform to see the full view of Xidi Village. It was really a pleasant surprise!

Hongcun

Hongcun is the most famous among the three villages, with the most complete parking lot and other facilities.

• It's about a half-hour drive from Xidi. After visiting Xidi, I booked a hotel next to Hongcun and rested until 4 p.m. before entering Hongcun. By then, many people had already left, so I managed to avoid the peak tourist hours.

• As soon as I entered, I saw Nanhu Lake. The clear water reflected the houses, creating beautiful reflections. Especially around 7 p.m. during the blue hour, it was extremely photogenic and perfect for taking pictures. There were also many beautiful ladies taking portrait photos.

• It has the most severe commercialization, with shops, restaurants, and homestays everywhere, and it's also the most crowded.
  However, following the recommendations, I went to a restaurant called Jushantang. It was really delicious! There was also a small pond in the restaurant, and the environment was extremely comfortable. (The last two pictures)

Summary

• If you have one and a half days, you can visit all three villages.
• Degree of commercialization: Hongcun > Xidi > Chengkan
• All of them require an entrance ticket of about 100 yuan. It's very cost-effective to get free tickets on Wednesdays.
  I went to Xidi and Hongcun on Wednesdays. By avoiding the time from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., the crowds weren't too large. The tour guides' voices were quite loud when they were giving explanations. You can pass by and listen casually; it's quite interesting.
  😍 Huizhou and Huangshan are truly worth visiting! I'll save climbing Huangshan for next time!