Jiangwan, Wuyuan: Explore Huizhou Ancient Village’s Timeless Charm
Lead
As the first light of dawn grazes the upturned eaves of horse-head walls and the surface of Liyuan River shimmers with gold, Jiangwan wakes. This Huizhou village—embraced by seas of rapeseed flowers and millennia-old camphor trees—paints the landscape that has long haunted Chinese poets and scholars. Time here seems soaked in scenery: oxen tread the bluestone lanes, tea fragrance drifts from carved window frames, and Nuo dance masks flash mysteriously in ancestral halls. More than a sightseeing spot, Jiangwan is a living museum of an ancient rural culture, inviting travelers on a journey across a thousand years.
1. Natural and Cultural Paradise
“No dream compares to Huizhou,” wrote Ming dramatist Tang Xianzu—the perfect epigraph for Jiangwan. This national 5A scenic area, with its philosophy of “landscape as skeleton, culture as soul,” captures the essence of Wuyuan, often called China’s most beautiful countryside. The spring of the Beidou Seven-Star Well still nourishes villagers; legends of the Immortal Bridge ripple through streams; and a thousand-year-old camphor tree, large enough for five people to encircle, tells the weight of time with coiling branches.
2. A Visual Feast in Every Season
Spring (March–April): Tens of thousands of terraced fields turn into a golden sea—rapeseed blooms against white-walled Huizhou houses, like an Impressionist painting.
Midsummer: Liyuan River becomes a natural air conditioner; children fish in shallow pools.
Late autumn (November): Ancient maples burn red; horse-head walls in morning mist resemble ink-and-wash painting.
Winter snow: Snow-covered ancestral halls look even more solemn.
After a rain with clearing skies you may see a sea of clouds hugging the mountain waist—photographers should climb to Immortal Bridge at dawn to capture this scene.
3. Jiangwan: A Living Museum of Huizhou Culture
Founded in the Northern Song, Jiangwan was the home of Qing dynasty scholar Jiang Yong; his former residence, Sansheng Hall, still preserves the scholar’s study “Bixiao Xuan.” Strolling the bluestone roads you will discover:
– Architectural codes: Xiaojiang Ancestral Hall’s “winter-gourd beam” and the Dun Chong Hall’s “magpies on plum” brick carvings are textbook examples of Huizhou’s three carvings—wood, brick, and stone.
– Intangible heritage: At the Hundred Crafts Workshop you can watch She inkstone making; on the sixth day of the sixth lunar month, Nuo dancers wear brightly lacquered masks to perform ancient rites to drive away evil and invite good fortune.
– Notable visits: In 2001, Jiang Zemin’s inspection route became a themed walking line—his inscription on the village stele is a popular photo stop.
4. Immersive Countryside Itineraries
Half-day highlights (arrive in the morning recommended):
Xiaojiang Ancestral Hall → Sansheng Hall → Beidou Seven-Star Well → Thousand-year camphor → Sketching by Liyuan River
Deep cultural stay (overnight recommended):
Day 1: As above + hands-on craft at the Hundred Crafts Workshop
Day 2: Hike to nearby Huangling to see autumn grain-drying racks, or visit Xiaoqi Village to taste imperial chrysanthemum tea
Transport tips:
– Take a coach from Shangrao High-Speed Railway Station to Wuyuan County (about 1.5 hours), then transfer to the Jiangwan shuttle (40 minutes).
– By car, set your GPS to “Wuyuan Jiangwan Scenic Area”—exit at Jiangwan on the Hangrui Expressway and follow signs (parking fee: 20 RMB/day).
5. Practical Information and Insider Tips
– Tickets: 80 RMB (covers ancestral halls, residences and most attractions); students half price.
– Accommodation and food: The village guesthouse “Wangzhang Tower” overlooks the ancient camphor tree; rooms average 150 RMB per person with breakfast. Must-try dishes include steamed red carp in lotus pouch and savory tofu skin stew.
– Beat the crowds: Enter before 7:00 AM to enjoy a tranquil village; in peak seasons (March–April and October–November) aim to arrive by 8:30 AM.
– Hidden experiences: Learn Huizhou folk songs from village elders or rent a Hanfu to shoot a historical-style portrait at Dun Chong Hall.
Conclusion
When city noise turns into a ribbon of mist over Liyuan River, and a scene from your phone screen becomes the carved lintel under your hand, Jiangwan’s thousand-year composure awaits each traveler longing for a poetic retreat. Here are not only landscapes but a collective memory of the Chinese ideal home—bring your sense of beauty, and find your own “Return Hall” in this time-forgotten Huizhou secret.
(Approx. 1500 Chinese characters equivalent)
