Chenzhai Qixing Village

Chenzhai Qixing Village

Chenzhai Village is a thousand-year-old settlement founded during the Northern Song Dynasty, originally known as Fang’ao. Its founding ancestor, Chen Wenfa, relocated here from Minhou, Fujian, during the Northern Song period and renamed the village Chenzhai.

Chenzhai Village is a Zhejiang Provincial Civilized Village and was selected as one of Zhejiang’s “Beautiful Villages” in 2007. The entrance to the village is shaded by ancient trees and spans an old bridge; within the village, scenes unfold of small bridges over flowing streams, quaint houses, cooking smoke, birds in flight, and chickens and ducks roaming; outside the village, the Big Dipper shines down and seven star-shaped mounds encircle the area, making it comparable to the Bagua Village of Yuyuan in both beauty and mystery. There are over 20 existing buildings, all built against the mountains and beside the water, forming a typical eco-village. Historical records suggest that the famous Taoist priests Ge Hong and Ye Fashan left traces of their presence here, and the imperial advisor Liu Bowen once lived in the area. The identity of the designer behind the village’s layout remains a mystery waiting to be solved.

The landscape of Chenzhai is characterized by four elements: “wondrous, perilous, bizarre, and mystical.” “Wondrous”: from Nan Tian in Wencheng, hometown of Liu Ji, through Chenzhai to Guolin in Qingtian, there is a stone dragon atop the mountain peaks resembling the Great Wall; “Perilous”: the treacherous ancient paths of the back mountains of Chenzhai; “Bizarre”: the Yuxiu Bridge, where trees grow because of the bridge and the bridge connects because of the roots; “Mystical”: the Qixing Dun, an ancient mystery of the universe.

Step into Chenzhai, and Chenzhai will tell you everything.

Paiyan Bridge

Built in the sixth year of the Jingtai era of the Ming Dynasty (1455), this is a single-span stone beam bridge. It is 7 meters long, 1.1 meters wide, with a span of 4 meters. The bridge deck is formed by four (or possibly three?) longitudinal slabs of granite laid flat and cantilevered, with inscribed dates. It is the first bridge at the northern entrance of the ancient village.

Shangma Stone Slab Bridge

Constructed in the thirteenth year of the Jiaqing era (1808), it features a deck made of three stone slabs, each 40 cm wide, 20 cm thick, and approximately 3 meters long. The foundation structure is quite unique.

Yuxiu Bridge

Built in the fourth year of the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty (1576), it originally included a double-eaved, pyramidal roof bridge pavilion. In the twenty-second year of the Republic of China (1933), two additional bridge corridors were added on the eastern and western sides, each consisting of two rooms, and the bridge was renovated again in 1983. It is a single-arch covered bridge with a brick-and-wood structure, combining Chinese and Western architectural elements. The bridge is 12 meters long, 3 meters wide, with an arch height of 3.5 meters and a span of 5 meters. The arch is constructed from stone, supported by the sturdy roots of ancient cypress trees about 0.4 meters thick that cross over the stream.

Chen Family Ancestral Hall

Constructed in the nineteenth year of the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty (1688), it was renovated in the fifth year of the Qianlong era and the third year of the Tongzhi era. It is a three-courtyard quadrangle with a central courtyard and surrounding structures, covering an area of approximately 490 square meters, continuing the architectural style of the Ming Dynasty.

According to the "Chen Family Genealogy": Chen Wenfa, the founding ancestor of Chenzhai, was the son of Chen Xiang (1017–1080), a native of Minhou, Fuzhou. Chen Xiang passed the imperial examination at the age of 26 and served as a distinguished official under Emperors Renzong, Yingzong, and Shenzong of the Song Dynasty. He held various positions including Magistrate of Xianju County, Prefect of Hangzhou, and Grand Censor. Known for his diligence, integrity, focus on agriculture and water management, and diplomatic skill, he recommended over thirty individuals—including Sima Guang and Su Dongpo—for official posts. He was a Neo-Confucian scholar and renowned poet who strongly advocated Confucian studies. His second son, Chen Wenfa, traveled through the landscapes of Qingtian and, seeing the surrounding mountains, the seven stars shining overhead, the image of five horses galloping, and fish leaping over the Dragon Gate, decided to relocate his entire family here.

Jade Belt Red Carp

The Jade Belt Stream flows across the entire Fushan Basin from southeast to northwest, winding and picturesque like a jade belt encircling Fushan—hence its name, which carries connotations of wealth and prosperity. Most scenic spots and residential areas are concentrated along its banks, making it Fushan’s feng shui corridor. A mountain stream by nature, the Jade Belt Stream has an average depth of about 1.5 meters but features more than 20 pools, the deepest of which reach around 3 meters. Water levels fluctuate with rainfall, yet the water remains clear, meeting national Class II or higher standards for surface drinking water, presenting a beautiful scene of “clear waters with playful fish.”

Shimenlou Ancient Residential Houses

Originally built in the Ming Dynasty and reconstructed in the ninth year of the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty (1745), these houses preserve some features of Ming architecture. They include a gate tower, courtyard, main house, and wing rooms—totaling 12 rooms. There is an outer wall, with hidden and visible rooms inside for theft and fire prevention. Legend says they were designed by Liu Ji and granted imperial approval by Zhu Yuanzhang, featuring a “palace-style” layout unique to Qingtian.

The homeowner was a martial arts scholar. A couplet on the pillars reads: “Facing the Jia Mountain gate, watch the leopard transform; leaning on the inkstone waters, observe dragons soar,” penned by the renowned Qing Dynasty poet, scholar, and dramatist Han Xize, subtly suggesting a place where dragons and tigers lie hidden.

Wooden Corridor Bridge

Constructed in the third year of the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty (1575) and renovated in 1999, it is a wooden cantilever-style covered bridge. The bridge body uses five large fir trunks as beams. The deck includes a five-room corridor, stretching 11 meters in length, 3.6 meters in width, and 2.6 meters in height, with a span of 7.5 meters. The central bay of the corridor is elevated for prominence, with railings on both sides.

Qixing Encirclement

Also known as Qixing Dun, this is a major natural wonder of Chenzhai. From the head of Ao Di Village to the head of Chenzhai Village, seven star-shaped mounds are arranged in sequence, their positions and shapes closely resembling the Big Dipper in the night sky. Why have celestial patterns descended to Earth? That remains an ancient mystery.

Yuxing Ancient Path

An ancient path from Chenzhai Village to Yuhu Town, Wencheng, first established during the Eastern Wu period. It stretches approximately 78 kilometers with an average width of 1.3 meters, paved with cobblestones. Once an official “courier pathway,” it also served as a trade route for merchants across the Ou-Yue and Qi-Min regions. The eminent Taoist Ge Hong of the Eastern Jin Dynasty traveled southward along this path toward Luofu Mountain in Guangzhou, spreading teachings, aiding the people, and gathering herbs and elixirs here, leaving behind many enchanting legends. During the late Yuan Dynasty, years of warfare took place in this area, leaving behind ruins such as the “Eighteen Forts of Daming Mountain.” General Hu Dahai of Zhu Yuanzhang’s forces once garrisoned at the “Qixing Pass” here. In the early Qing Dynasty, maritime restrictions caused the primary route into Fujian to shift westward, leading to the decline and eventual abandonment of the ancient path.

Chenzhai Village: Located in the eastern part of Fushan Township, Chenzhai Village has 391 acres of arable land, nine villager groups, 204 households, and a population of 714. Since the launch of the “Ten Village Demonstration, Hundred Village Renovation” project in 2003, it has received numerous honors. In 2003, it was named a Municipal Civilized Village; in 2004, a Provincial Civilized Village; in 2006, a Municipal New Rural Demonstration Village; and in September 2007, one of Zhejiang’s Top Thirty Beautiful Townships. The village party branch has been awarded multiple times as an Outstanding Grassroots Party Organization at the county level, and in 2005, it was honored as an Outstanding... Chenzhai Village detailed information++