Top 10 most beautiful Chinese villages in 2013
DATE:2013-12-19 SOURCE:www.cnchemicals.com
By Xu Lin
You may have visited a number of large cities in China, but have you ever been to a countryside village?
Here's a list of the top 10 most beautiful Chinese villages released jointly by the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Housing and Urban-rural Development and China National Tourism Administration.
Based on criteria such as natural ecology, lifestyle, harmonious culture and innovation, the selection of the most beautiful villages officially began on Sept. 24 and lasted two months.
Enjoy the picturesque scenery and distinctive architecture in these beautiful villages, and experience the peaceful lifestyle of the local people.
#10 Dazong Village, Shandong Province
Dazong Village, Shandong Province [File photo]
Located southwest of Tengzhou City, Shandong Province, Dazong is a village with many shining awards. It boasts a clean environment, modern houses, rich leisure activities and high incomes. It is known as a national ecological civilization village.
#9 Longwan Village, Gansu Province
Longwan Village, Gansu Province [File photo]
The formidable Yellow River, the second longest river in China, flows east for 5,464 km (3,395.17 miles) until it empties into the sea. As it passes through Gansu Province, it encounters a small village -- Longwan Village, which is 139 kilometers (86.37 miles) away from Gansu's capital Lanzhou.
Longwan is just a small village on a corner of the Yellow River, right off the map, but it may be familiar to many people. It is actually a famous location in many films, including "Myth,' which starred Jackie Chan and Hee-seon Kim.
The village is also famous for its surrounding Stone Forest, a national geological park, which combines scenery with the village, the river, the oasis and the desert nearby.
#8 Huayuan Village, Zhejiang Province
Huayuan Village, Zhejiang Province [File photo]
Located in central Zhejiang Province, Huayuan Village, or Garden Village, has a history of over 600 years. It is a modern village with highly-developed trade and business. Its famous tourist attractions include Jixiang Lake, Business Street, a glass greenhouse, a folk culture museum and a flower garden. It is a perfect destination for countryside tourism.
#7 Pingle Village, Henan Province
Pingle Village, Henan Province [File photo]
Located in Mengjin County, 12 kilometers (7.46 miles) from Luoyang City, Pingle Village is a place with a long history and rich culture. It got its name in 62 AD during the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220AD). It has become famous for peony paintings. It was reputed to be China's number one village for peony paintings by farmer painters. If you love peonies, don't forget to buy a local painting. They also make good souvenirs for friends.
#6 Xidi Village, Anhui Province
Xidi Village, Anhui Province [File photo]
Xidi Ancient Village is situated at the foot of the southern peak of Huangshan Mountain. It was originally built during the reign of Emperor Huangyou (1049-1054) of the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) and rebuilt during the reign (1449-1457) of Emperor Jingtai of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).
The village contains about 300 buildings in the Hui Style of the Ming and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. Brick and wood dominate, with exquisite stone archways, stone carvings, and stone-paved streets and courtyards. The most popular tourist attractions in Xidi Village include Lingyun Pavilion, Ruiyu Pavilion, Cishi House, Daifu House, and Qingyun House.
#5 Shuidui Village, Yunnan Province
Shuidui Village, Yunnan Province [File photo]
Located in Heshun Village, Tengchong County, Shuidui Village is an ancient and beautiful south China village. This traditional village has preserved much of its rich heritage, and the architecture and folk customs that existed before the Ming and Qing dynasties.
The classical ancestral halls, temples, memorial archways, pavilions, stone fences and folk houses with white walls and black tiles record the flourishing history and traditional culture of the village. The poplar and willow trees by the river and the beautiful lotus flowers in the ponds make the bucolic scenes even more charming. The village's beautiful scenery has attracted many painters, photographers and film directors.
It is also the birthplace of many well-known scholars. The old traditional building by the entrance to the village is a village-level library with the longest history and richest collection of books in China.
#4 Xuexiang Village, Heilongjiang Province
Xuexiang Village, Heilongjiang Province [File photo]
Harbin has always been the center of attention as far as winter tourism is concerned, with its ice and snow festival every January. However, 300 miles outside the city, in the Shuangfeng Forest in Mudanjiang City, lies a small village said to be the ultimate winter destination. Closed off by surrounding mountains, the village, aptly named Xuexiang, or "home of snow," has steadily built up its reputation among tourists over the last few years.
Famous for its snow-covered landscapes, there is snow on the ground for as many as seven months a year, with the depth of snow reaching two meters. It consists of around 20 wooden houses decorated with strings of golden corn and red chili peppers hung up to dry, creating a winter wonderland. It is a perfect place for skiing, sledging, making snowmen and snowball fights. The best times to visit are January, February, March, November and December.
#3 Nahui Village, Guizhou Province
Nahui Village, Guizhou Province [File photo]
Located in Xingyi City, Guizhou Province, Nahui is a Bouyei ethnic minority village boasting ethnic culture and an idyllic landscape. It is surrounded by the Forest of Ten Thousand Peaks, one of the five most beautiful peak forests in China, featuring typical karst landforms. The beautiful scenery of the village has attracted a large number of tourists.
#2 Yonglian Village, Jiangsu Province
Yonglian Village, Jiangsu Province [File photo]
Thirty years ago, Yonglian was a poor village which could not be found on the map of Suzhou, its larger neigbor. There were only 300-400 residents in the village, with an average annual income of 68 yuan (US$11.2) per person. Now the village has become a modern, rich village boasting idyllic scenery, agricultural culture, country food and leisure activities.
#1 Hancunhe Village, Beijing
Hancunhe Village, Beijing [File photo]
Hancunhe is a picturesque village where the local people enjoy a peaceful and easy life. Located in Fangshan District, 40 kilometers (24.85 miles) from urban Beijing, the village has a residential district with various styles of elegant architectural works. Walking in the street, you feel that you are staying in a European town. The village has the first village college and the largest village park in the outskirts of Beijing. Its modern vegetable shelves, flower bases and large orchards have made it a national example of agricultural tourism.