Zhilan Village

Zhilan Village

Zhilan Village is located 8,000 meters north of the government seat of Huangdian Town, Lanxi City, Zhejiang Province.

Zhilan Village was established during the Song Dynasty, and commercial buildings such as inns and grocery stores appeared during the Ming and Qing dynasties. With a history of over 850 years, it developed as a settlement of the Chen family clan. The residences in Zhilan were built from the early Ming Dynasty to the end of the Republic of China, spanning nearly 500 years, with relatively clear construction dates and a well-defined evolutionary process. The village was formerly known as Zhixi Village due to the presence of Zhixi Stream and water weirs within the area. Located about twenty kilometers northwest of Lanxi City, the village faces south with its back to the north, nestled against mountains and beside water, on flat terrain. To the east of the village, Peach Peak stands tall, and Zhishan Mountain undulates like a green dragon leaping forward; to the southwest, steep green peaks and rolling mountains shape the Lion and Tiger hills, which stand majestically to the west of the village. To the north, Chentuo Mountain, backed by thousands of ridges and peaks, resembles a “golden armchair,” cradling the entire village. Together with the crescent-shaped pond at the southern entrance of the village, symbolizing the “Vermilion Bird,” the whole village forms a typical feng shui ecological environment laid out according to the pattern of “Azure Dragon on the left, White Tiger on the right, Vermilion Bird in front, and Black Tortoise behind.”

Representative structures include the Xiaosi Hall, Yande Hall, and Chengzhi Hall. The ancient buildings either have genealogical records, plaques, or inscriptions that allow for relatively accurate dating, showing a clear evolution of architectural styles over time and possessing high historical value. In 2006, it was listed as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit. The village also boasts an unusually early, numerous, exquisitely structured, and well-preserved collection of ancient architecture.

The ancient village streets were formed during the Ming and Qing dynasties, running from north to south, marked at both ends by ancient camphor trees. Stretching over 300 meters in length and 2.8–3.2 meters in width, the street features a drainage channel and roadway layout. The sides are paved with cobblestones, while the middle section is laid with flagstones, 0.55 meters wide, funded by Yiqiyuan Gong (born during the Tianshun era) in the mid-Ming Dynasty. The channel is 0.56 meters wide and 0.30–1.4 meters deep. Along the street are nine halls, four shops, five covered passageways, dozens of residential inns, and sixteen lane entrances. The architectural complex is well-proportioned, with horse-head walls of varying heights, creating a beautiful and well-preserved landscape that forms a rich yet harmonious whole.

Zhilan Village also features four natural landscapes: Immortal Stone, Marvelous Peak, Divine Boat, and Divine Vat. The “Immortal Stone” is located about two li from the village. This stone is three to four meters high and four to five meters long, split in the middle by a straight line, said to have been sawn apart by immortals using straw. The “Marvelous Peak” is around three to four li away from the village and resembles a particularly good listener—any conversation in the village can be clearly heard beneath it. The “Divine Boat” is a small hill in the Zhilan Reservoir that looks like an upturned boat, appearing and disappearing between summer and autumn, creating a dreamy and enchanting scene. The “Divine Vat” refers to a naturally formed giant water vat located in the mountain stream at Kangwukou. Legend says it was used by immortals to store elixir-boiling water, and it is believed that the mist emanating from it daily can remove wrinkles and preserve eternal youth, making it a revered object among villagers.