Wuyuan, known as the "most beautiful countryside in China," is home to at least 50 old villages.

Walking through these old villages in spring offers refreshing views of hills covered in yellow rape, of green farmland and luxuriant camphor trees, of creeks and small rapids. Villages lie along small rivers, trees stand on riverbanks, and old farmers leisurely drive ducks towards a pond, all coming together to form a typical Chinese countryside scene.

Wuyuan is known not only for its natural scenery, but also for its glorious past. The remote county was home to some of China's top scholars, including Zhu Xi, a Confucian master in the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), and Zhan Tianyou, China's first railway engineer. Thousands of Wuyuan people passed the civil imperial examinations -- examinations for selecting government officials in feudal dynasties -- and climbed high on the official ladder. The county also produced some of the country's richest merchants.
Wuyuan is the land in China where time stands still. Pausing on an ancient bridge as the soft rain bounces off the puttering stream; visitors can sail through the centuries to an age of peaceable village tranquility.
In ancient times, Wuyuan was governed by Anhui. Merchants from this area spread throughout China around 500 years ago, forging trade relations with dealers from Qingdao to Qinghai. Such were their numbers and business acumen that in some areas, they practically ran the local economy. Historical records show that of the eight barons Qing Dynasty Emperor Qianlong received during a trip to southern China, four were from Anhui. Anhui merchants went on to dominate trade in China for some 400 years in terms of capital and trade outlets.

Back in their hometowns, these wealthy merchants would often construct majestic homes and elaborate ancestral temples so their families and forefathers could share in their success. Many of these still stand in Wuyuan. Hidden deep in the mountains, the town escaped the wartime devastation that obliterated many other parts of ancient China, and it remains in its original state today.

The Villages

The village of Sixi has been home to the Yu clan for generations. Its distinct Anhui architectures house many fine carvings and other ancient trinkets. The most impressive house in the village is the Jingxu (Respecting Order) Hall, the grand abode of an esteemed and wealthy family. The fourth generation of that family still resides there. The residential buildings in Sixi are under government protection. The occupants are permitted to live there, but, to the disappointment of many collectors, they cannot sell any of the old relics.

The locals carry out their daily activities amid this ancient setting. Some work on a dough, others are busy washing clothes, while the elderly relax with a cigarette and enjoy their favorite TV shows. These days, tourists are no strange sight in Sixi. They can often be seen sharing a meal with the hospitable locals.

Also in Sixi is the "Picture of 100 Longevities," a compound where the Chinese character for longevity is depicted 100 times. Ninety-six of the characters are carved on the ain door -- the other four are hidden, and the challenge for visitors is to locate them. We found three, but could not see the last one. The owner of the house told us that the layout of the residence resembles the Chinese character for longrity

Likeng Village is a cluster of houses built along a brook, and is said to be the town's most scenically beautiful village. The brook is two to three meters wide, and spanned at various points by makeshift bridges. Dogs are often seen lounging around on the bridges, watching the tourists pass by.

How to get there:

Wuyuan lies in the center of the "tourist golden triangle" formed by the Yellow Mountain (Anhui Province), Mt. Lushan, and Jingdezhen, China's "Porcelain Capital." (Jiangxi Province). The distance from the above 3 places to Wuyuan is basically the same, all within 150km. Tourists coming from Beijing and Nanjing can take train and get off at Yellow Mountain, then find a local tour bus heading to Wuyuan. Tourists coming from Shanghai and Zhejiang can take a train to Jingdezhen, and then take a tour bus to Wuyuan, the distance is about 85km.