Yangjiatang Village

Yangjiatang Village

Yangjiatang Village is located in Sandu Township, Songyang County, nestled within a circular mountain hollow. The village is embraced on both sides by rolling hills, displaying a distinctly auspicious feng shui layout. In the uneven terrain of Yangjiatang—where flat land is scarce—over 20 earthen and wooden Qing Dynasty residences extend upward along the mountainside in terraced levels. The height difference between the upper and lower houses throughout the village is about 2 to 3 meters, stretching as high as 200 meters, presenting a massive architectural facade in the view. It is a typical stepped ancient village in Songyang County and is known as the "Golden Potala Palace."

According to records, the village was established around 1655 and has a history of over 350 years. In the 12th year of the Shunzhi reign during the Qing Dynasty, Song Xiankun was the first to settle in Yangjiatang. Regarding the origin of the village’s name, the Songyang County place name records state that it was originally called Zhangjiaotang because of three intersecting camphor trees in the village, but was later renamed Yangjiatang. The origins of Yangjiatang Village and the Song family can be traced through their genealogy, the *Jingzhao Song Family Genealogy*. Their Song ancestors came from Xi’an (Jingzhao, an ancient term for Xi’an and its surrounding areas). Song Lian was a descendant (25th generation) of the famous Tang Dynasty statesman Song (whose full name is missing here). Song Lian was the founding ancestor of Pujiang, and his grandson Song Kesan moved to Chenghui Village in Sandu Township, Songyang County, due to silkworm breeding. Around 1655, the eighth-generation descendant of Song Kesan, Song Xiankun, relocated from Chenghui Village to Yangjiatang Village.

The ancient houses are built against the mountain, extending upward along the slope of the village path, unfolding in terraced levels. The entire village features a height difference of 2 to 3 meters between the upper and lower houses, stretching up to 200 meters in elevation. Among the densely arranged historic buildings, the layered horse-head walls facing each other display elegant wall inscriptions and murals everywhere. The villagers of Yangjiatang have transferred texts from *The Family Instructions of Zhu Xi*, *The Classic of Filial Piety*, and the *Song Family Genealogy Precepts* onto the walls. Even centuries later, although the writings may be hard to discern, the aura of history and culture remains deeply potent.

Yangjiatang Village in Songyang County won the “Model Award” in the “Discovery • 2013 China’s Most Beautiful Villages” selection event.

Every brick in Yangjiatang bears the weight of culture; history has settled into the walls and seeped into every inch of the land. Behind every stone, memorial archway, and tree, there seems to be a hidden spirit of history and humanity, purifying the souls of the villagers of Yangjiatang.

Transportation:

Hidden deep in the mountains, Yangjiatang Village in Songyang, Lishui, Zhejiang, is nestled among the ranges of Sandu Township. If you’re not driving yourself, it is recommended to hire a private car.