Lingshui Village

Lingshui Village

Lingshui Village is located in Zhaitang Town, Mentougou District. It is an ancient village with a history of over a thousand years and was jointly named a “Famous Historical and Cultural Village of China” by the Ministry of Construction and the State Administration of Cultural Heritage in 2005. The village earned the nickname “Juren Village” (Village of Successful Candidates in the Imperial Examinations) because it produced two jinshi (successful imperial examination candidates) and numerous juren (lesser examination degree holders) throughout its history. Lingshui Village boasts beautiful natural scenery and numerous cultural relics and historical sites, among which the East Ridge Stone Figures, West Mountain Lotus Flowers, South Hall North View, North Mountain Green Cypresses, Cypress Embracing Mulberry and Elm, Lingquan Ginkgo, Juren Residences, and Temple Ruins have been known since ancient times as the “Eight Scenic Spots of Lingshui.”

Lingshui Village is now under the jurisdiction of Zhaitang Town in western Beijing’s Mentougou District. It is located in the northwest of the town, 12 kilometers from the town government and 32.5 kilometers southeast of the government seat. Since the flourishing of the imperial examination system during the Ming and Qing dynasties, the village has produced numerous successful candidates, including prominent juren such as Liu Maoheng and Liu Zengguang. As a result, locals have dubbed Lingshui the “Juren Village.”

Lingshui Village features beautiful natural scenery and numerous cultural relics and historical sites. Among them, the East Ridge Stone Figures, West Mountain Lotus Flowers, South Hall North View, North Mountain Green Cypresses, Lingquan Ginkgo, Juren Residences, and Temple Ruins have been known since ancient times as the “Eight Scenic Spots of Lingshui.” The traditional houses of Lingshui Village are exemplary of rural residential architecture from the Ming and Qing dynasties in northern China, with well-preserved original appearances. There are over 20 residences from the Ming Dynasty and more than 100 from the Qing Dynasty. The village has three stone-paved streets running through it front to back, with houses clustered closely together in layers, and the ancient dwellings arranged in an orderly fashion. The well-preserved “Juren Residences,” especially those of juren such as Liu Maoheng, Liu Zengguang, Tan Ruilong, and Liu Mingfei, are particularly elegant and refined. These structures are built with brick and tile, featuring grey tiles on blue bricks, rational layouts, and complete sets of gate towers, screen walls, and stone steps. The stone carvings, engraved paintings, gates, and couplets reflect profound cultural significance.

On October 11, 2013, Hunan TV, together with celebrity fathers including Jimmy Lin, Guo Tao, Wang Yuelun, Tian Liang, and Zhang Liang, along with their celebrity kids, launched the first season of the popular reality show Dad, Where Are We Going? The first episode was filmed in Lingshui Village.

Suggested Duration

1 day

Location

Lingshui Village, Junxiang Township, Zhaitang Town, Mentougou District, Beijing

Transportation

By Bus:

Take Subway Line 1 to Apple Park Station, walk to Apple Park West Station, take Bus 892 to Junxiang Station, then walk to Sangyu Troops Station and take Bus M04. Get off at Lingshui Juren Village Station.

By Car:

From the south section of China Agricultural University Road, follow Yuanmingyuan West Road, Yuanqing Road, and Beiqing Road to Beianhe. Then head toward Dajue Temple and drive straight toward Mentougou National Highway 109. At the intersection of Wangping and Hebei on National Highway 109, choose the direction toward Wangping. Continue along National Highway 109, passing through Henantai and Yanchi to reach Zhaitang. Turn right at the sign pointing to Lingshui Village and drive four kilometers to arrive.

Opening Hours

All day