Shantouxia Village

Shantouxia Village

Situated in Fucun Town, Jinyi New District, Shantouxia Village is built on a small hill shaped like a butterfly. It is the settlement of descendants of Shen Yue, known as the "Master of Ci Poetry" and a minister during the Liang Dynasty, with most villagers surnamed Shen. In the Ming Dynasty, the 31st-generation descendant of Shen Yue migrated here from Shenzhai in Yiwu. With a history of over 500 years, it is now recognized as a Famous Historical and Cultural Village of China.

The village gets its name from the small hill behind it, with the settlement built at the foot of the mountain. Though the name is simple and unassuming, stepping into the village reveals many "magical" aspects. Legend has it that the founding ancestors were hunters who settled here and gradually reclaimed land along the stream over generations to form the present ancient village. The villagers once prospered through handicrafts, with their dye workshops and candle shops being widely renowned. The ancient post road at the village entrance connects both downtown Jinhua and the Fotang commercial market, and there used to be a stop along the ancient Wuyue trade route. The village’s historic architecture and Wuyue merchant culture share deep roots.

A total of 28 historic buildings covering an area of 2.96 hectares are protected in Shantouxia Village. While it's not rare to find villages with a few Ming or Qing-era buildings, what makes Shantouxia truly remarkable is how the entire village’s layout and construction align with the Five Elements and Bagua (Eight Trigrams). Two streams flow from north to south on either side of the village — the Cihang Stream on the east and the Qian Stream on the west.

Historically, eight ponds — Geding, Hengtang, Wantang, Antang, Gan Tang, Sigutang, Jingtang, and Potang — surrounded the village, forming a "Bagua diagram" together with the "open"-shaped roads and the two streams. Additionally, the village entrance is also unique, featuring one gate each on the east, west, and north sides, and two on the south. It’s said that these were designed according to the Five Elements — metal, wood, water, fire, and earth — so that once the gates were closed, outsiders could not enter.

One of the core buildings in the village, "Sanyitang," was first built during the Qing Dynasty and is located on the right wing of the "butterfly." Its placement symbolizes the aspiration for descendants to soar and thrive. Confucius once said, “There are three kinds of beneficial friends and three kinds of harmful friends. Beneficial are the friends who are upright, sincere, and well-informed. Harmful are those who are obsequious, fawning, or glib.” The ancestors of the Shen family built Sanyitang to teach their descendants the value of true friendship, the path of benevolence, and the principles of life — to uphold honesty in words. The main gate of Sanyitang is built on a bluestone foundation, with walls of stacked blue bricks and an ornate stone door frame carved with ruyi and ingot patterns. The horizontal plaque above the door bears the faded but still discernible inscription “Jihu Liu Guang” (Accumulated Virtue Shines Far). There are two courtyards in front of the hall, symbolizing the eternal light of double suns. The beams in the hall and side rooms are exquisitely carved, mainly featuring theatrical figures complemented by auspicious flowers and plants, vividly reflecting the style of Dongyang woodcarving.

Shantouxia Village also has two stories that embody kindness and integrity. In the village flows a river called Qianxi. Over the river lies a stone slab bridge inscribed with the characters “Renshou Bridge” (Bridge of Benevolence and Longevity), and beneath that are the words “Made by Shen Ganqing.” In the 21st year of the Daoguang reign (1841), Shen Ganqing, the 41st-generation descendant of Shen Yue, then 80 years old, expressed a wish to his children: he did not want a birthday celebration, but instead hoped the money meant for the feast would be used to build a bridge for villagers to cross the river more easily. Sadly, Shen Ganqing did not live to see his dream realized, but he reiterated this wish on his deathbed. In the 23rd year of the Daoguang reign (1843), his descendants pooled together the funds needed to construct the stone bridge, fulfilling his final wish.

For those accustomed to the concrete jungles and endless rows of skyscrapers of the city, the setting sun, grassy trees, and ordinary alleys here bring a uniquely refreshing and elegant feeling. Winding paths lead to quiet nooks, with gravel-covered trails covered in varying shades of moss that mark the passage of time. These paths twist and turn, passing through one gate after another, only to disappear around the next corner, leaving behind the fluttering clothes and cheerful laughter of visitors.

Transportation:

By train: Take the G9307 train, get off at Jinhua South Station, and transfer to a bus to Shantouxia Village.

By car: Shanghai-Kunming Expressway — Xietang Interchange — Huafeng Road — Shantouxia Village.