西递景区

Located in Yixian County, Xidi village was listed as World Cultural Heritage Site. It is a bright pearl with the best location in south of Anhui Province, and 9 kilometers away from Yixian County, near to Mt. Huangshan in North, Mt. Qiyun in South, the historical and cultural county Shexian in East, Mt. Jiuhua and Taiping Lake in West. It is only 38 kilometers from Mt. Huangshan Scenic Area and 54 kilometers from Huangshan Airport, 10 kilometers from Railway Station in Yixian County. There are only 10 kilometers or so from World Heritage Site Hongcun Village, labyrinthine ancient Nanping Village and Shu Xiuwen Former Residence, Pingshan. Therefore, Xidi village is sized of convenient traffic. There are still 300 ancient dwelling left from Ming and Qing Dynasties, among them, there are 124 well-preserved, so got a famous name "household in peach blossom garden".

Xidi Village has a long history of over 950 years and built in Huangyou Period of Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127 A.D.), developed in the middle of Jingtai Period Ming Dynasty (in the year of 1450 or so), and got at the height of power and splendor in the early of Kangxi and Qianlong Period of Ming Dynasty. The former name was Xichaun and Xixi, there are three brooks flowing from east to west, so got its name. But in later years, there was a post house 1.5 kilometers away from Xidi village, so namely Xidi village. It has a population of 1,020, most of them have a surname Hu, who is the offspring of the Emperor Li Shimin in Tang Dynasty. Tang zhaozong, the twelfth generation of Li Shimin, was put to death because of Zhu Wen’s insurgence, only his son left and he was bought to Kaoshui, Wuyuan County of Huizhou Prefecture by grandfather (Wuyuan County belongs to Jiangxi Province nowadays), and namely Hu Changyi. He knew about his life experience until he passed the imperial examination, but Mr. Hu Changyi gave up his utility fame and gain, was buried alive in Kaoshui, Wuyuan County in order to research book of changes. In the same time, he taught his son that couldn’t use the name Li by way of feeling deeply grateful. Hu Shiliang, his the fifth generation, went to Jinling (called Nanjing at present) on business, passed through Xidi village. He liked the geomantic place with green mountain and blue water, so his whole family immigrated to Xidi village in 1047 and passed dwon generation by generation up to now. Surname Hu has passed 36 generations, in the history, there was a legend that surname Li was true and surname Hu was false.

Xidi village is full of primitive simplicity and elegance, it formed remarkable Hui Culture character with exquisite three carvings architecture and cultural scenery, Governor Hu Wenguang’s Archeway, erected at the entrance of the village, and made of Yixian stone with grey color. It is the treasure in Chinese stone architecture. Stroll in the village, you will find white walls and grey tiles, lanes which are paved by grey stones, paned windows and projecting horse-head wall etc. everywhere civilian halls are also full of elegance and best sculpture. The ceilings are decorated by ornate colored drawing or patterns. There are elegant paintings and calligraphies in wing rooms. The main hall is hung by profound moral couplets which people can gain live philosophy and aesthetics character. The courtyard also abounds of Hui-style architecture character, all of them lie about fish pond, paned windows, brick sculptures, flowers and miniascape. There are full of beautiful things in eyes. At present, Lingyun Attic, Hu Wenguang’s Memorial Archway, Ruiyu Courtyard, Taoli Garden, Eastern and Western Gardens, Dafu Grand House, Jing’ai Hall, Lvfu Hall, Qingyun Room, Yingfu Hall, Dujing Hall, Yanggao Hall, Shangde Hall etc, are opened to our tourists.

The historical and elegant Xidi Village was listed as World Cultural Heritage Site in November 30, 2001; it was assessed as a key cultural relic unit under the state level protection in June 26, 2001, and Xidi village was also granted as one of national AAAAA scenic areas. It was authorized as one of the top ten historical and cultural villages of China in November 26 of the same year. On October, 2005, Xidi village got its honor again as one of the top ten most charming towns of China and national civilized towns. Recently, so many experts praised Xidi village as following, we finally find the join of ancient China and modern history in Xidi village. Xidi is the treasure of ancient dwelling architectural art. The witness of ancient civilization of human beings, representative works of traditional architecture, nonesuch combination of human and nature.