Xikeng Ancient Village

Xikeng Ancient Village

Xikeng Village is situated at the junction of Songyang and Wuyi counties, at the foot of Dazhong Mountain, 13 kilometers from Songyang County town. The renowned "Songxuan Ancient Post Road" runs through the village. With a population of over 300, the villagers mainly belong to the Ye and Ding clans. The extant "Genealogy of the Ye Clan" and "Genealogy of the Ding Clan" were last revised shortly before the liberation. The Ye clan traces its roots to Tang’an in Gushi, all descendants of Fashan, the progenitor of Taoism, belonging to the Nanyang Commandery. The lanterns used in their worship today all bear the inscription “Shilin Aristocratic Family” (Note: Ye Mengde, also known as the Hermit of Shilin). The Ding clan hails from the Ding Family Ancestral Hall at the South Gate of Xiping.

Upon arriving in Xikeng, visitors will see the Xu Clan Ancestral Hall, built in the 7th year of the Qianlong reign (1742), right at the village entrance where a fountain cascades down. Stepping into this family temple, past the stage and courtyard, one can see: on the beams of the first hall hangs a plaque inscribed with "Govern with Courage," on the second hall's beams is "Strengthen Its Foundation," and on the third hall’s beams, the upper inscription reads "Virtue Gathers to the Heavens," beneath which the ancestral altar is adorned with paintings of the forebears. "Govern with Courage," "Strengthen Its Foundation," and "Virtue Gathers to the Heavens" reflect how the Xu clan of that time upheld Xu culture and the spirit promoted by Xu Yanwang—valuing benevolence, advocating kindness, and ensuring the people lived and worked in peace.

Around 1000 BCE, during the Western Zhou Dynasty, Xu Yanwang, the ruler of the Xu State, was so benevolent that King Cheng of Chu, who once plotted against him, advised the Chu king: “Yanwang follows the Dao, loves benevolence and righteousness, and must not be attacked.” As a representative figure of “Xu Culture,” Xu Yanwang advocated the path of benevolence over 400 years earlier than Confucius.

The Xu Clan Ancestral Hall in Xikeng Village was first built in 1742. Due to limitations in manpower and resources, only a simple five-bay structure was initially constructed. It wasn’t until after 1801 that the east and west corridors, stage, and ancestral altar were gradually added. Notably, the arrangement of the ancestral figures here differs from other ancestral halls of the same surname. In typical ancestral temples, the ancestral figures are arranged in three tiers: the founding ancestor, Xu Yanwang, at the top; notable ancestors of the lineage in the middle; and the founding ancestor of the specific temple at the bottom. In Xikeng Village’s Xu Clan Ancestral Hall, Xu Yanwang is in the center, Xu Guangqi, a Ming Dynasty scientist from Shanghai’s Xuhui County (also part of the Donghai Commandery), is on the left, and Xu Xianqing, the founding ancestor of the village, is on the right. This layout reflects the ancestors’ wish for descendants to value literature and learning, and to promote the clan through industry.

To the west of Xikeng Village in Songyang lies a tract of pristine forest dominated by evergreen trees—some standing tall and proud, reaching skyward, others twisting and turning with rugged grace. Each tree has its own unique form, naturally exquisite, leaving all outsiders in awe. Standing at the village entrance and looking south, you’ll see a giant “V” shape formed between the mountains on both sides of the Siduyuan Reservoir, with Yunyan Mountain nestled in the center of the “V,” resembling a reclining giant Buddha lying on its back with its head to the west and feet to the east. Shift your gaze eastward, and Shaojian Mountain immediately comes into view. Further east, beyond several rolling peaks, there is a “penholder mountain” (locally called “Three-Tooth Peak”). To the east also lies Zhaotoujian, standing 1002 meters above sea level, with Zhaotou Ridge halfway up the mountain. Each mountain presents its own scenic charm, shifting with your view, offering endless delight.

The village still preserves 21 ancient residential buildings, ancestral halls, community temples, and incense halls from the Qing Dynasty, as well as over 40 houses dating from the Republican era to the 1970s. These structures blend harmoniously with ancient trees and bamboo groves, nestled within the mountains, forming a vivid and beautiful painting that has earned the title “China’s Most Beautiful Mountain Village.”

Traditional customs in the village are still practiced to this day. People of all ages continue to make farming and daily tools as well as small handicrafts such as sieves, bamboo mats, bamboo vegetable baskets, and grain-drying mats, just as they always have. Literature-loving youths who enjoy vintage aesthetics can hunt for these treasures to their heart’s content.

Transportation:

Xikeng Village is 13 kilometers from Songyang County town. From Songyang County, Lishui City, Zhejiang Province, take the Beisong Highway north to the entrance of the Zaotouling Tunnel. Then follow the old road on the right, pass Xiabao Village, and reach the intersection at Heben. From there, take the Kangzhuang Road on the left; the village is located on the mountainside about 1 kilometer along this road.