The Ancient Village of Tatoudi

The Ancient Village of Tatoudi

The Ancient Village of Tatoudi is a settlement primarily inhabited by the Ji family clan. Its founding ancestor, Ji Maoling, originally came from Meiqi in Qingtian. He became a Jinshi (imperial scholar) in the fourth year of the Chenghua era (1468) during the Ming Dynasty, once served as the magistrate of Gaoyou Prefecture, and later joined the Hanlin Academy. However, he soon resigned from his official post and returned to his hometown. In the year of Wuyin during the Zhengde era (1518) of the Ming Dynasty, Ji Maoling relocated to Houwan in Daping, Bayang, Yayi in Taiyi. By the year of Jiwei during the Kangxi era (1679) of the Qing Dynasty, his descendants Dezhong and Deli traveled through Tatoudi. Struck by its “beautiful mountains and rivers, and lush bamboo and pines,” they deemed it an ideal place to settle and decided to move here.

Tatoudi is an ancient village with a history of over 300 years. The village still preserves seven relatively intact architectural complexes from the Qing Dynasty, including traditional residences such as Xiacao (Lower House), Zhongyangcao (Central House), and Weicao (Rear House). The homes were deliberately designed with interconnected “hundred-meter corridors” that link the entire family lineage. Many experts and scholars consider this a rare and valuable feature among ancient villages.

Xiacao was built during the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty and is the first residence constructed by the Ji family in Tatoudi. It is a courtyard-style building that exhibits strong architectural characteristics of Ming Dynasty residential homes. It has three notable features: first, the roof trusses are relatively low; second, wooden column bases are used with horizontal grain placement to prevent water absorption; third, the small wood carvings are simple and unadorned, especially the bracket sets at the column tops, which are entirely uncarved, lending a plain and modest appearance. In particular, the gate tower is not located on the central axis of the courtyard but rather to the front left, exemplifying the typical “askew gate, upright hall” layout.

By the time of the eighth-generation descendant Ji Guohe, the family had become prosperous with a large household. To accommodate the needs of future generations, the “Zhongyangcao” (Central House), “Jiucao” (Old House), and “Weicao” (Rear House) were constructed during the Qianlong and Jiaqing eras of the Qing Dynasty. These residences were built in an orderly fashion at the foot of the mountain behind the village, facing west with their backs to the mountain and fronting the fields. They are two-courtyard quadrangle compounds with relatively large footprints, generally ranging from 800 to 1,200 square meters. The main house typically has seven or nine bays; the side wings usually have four bays, though some have six. The spacious interiors were fully utilized by villagers, with courtyards, verandas, and backyards used for storing miscellaneous items, agricultural produce, farming tools, and housing livestock.

The ancient dwellings of Tatoudi fully embody the essence of the “farming and scholarly culture,” characterized by closeness to nature and an organic connection with the wilderness. In Taishun, the “farming and scholarly culture” not only influenced the architectural style and layout of these old houses but also had a profound impact on the lifestyle of the residents. In addition to historic objects such as Taishi chairs, medicine rollers, grain hullers, wooden rice-pounders, rice fans, stone mills, and stone mortars, the village also preserves folk activities like rice pounding, rice cake making, bamboo weaving, palm fiber clothing crafting, and straw sandal making—all reflecting Taishun’s ancient “farming and scholarly culture.”

The architecture of the village is arranged in a well-balanced, picturesque manner. Residences featuring the styles of the Ming and Qing dynasties, along with rising cooking smoke, exude the simple and rustic charm of the countryside. Wiping away the dust of history, one faces the high-eaved Ming and Qing buildings, where ancestral halls, decorative walls, and carved stone window frames are commonly seen. All reveal the long, extraordinary yet tranquil history of the ancient village, behind which lie countless life stories worth savoring. These invite visitors to delve deep into the hamlets and explore the humanistic spirit preserved here over several centuries.

Folklore and Culture

Tatoudi has a long history and a simple, unsophisticated folk culture with many distinctive customs. For example, the arrangement of offerings during rituals is quite unique. When the Ji clan of Tatoudi holds ancestral worship ceremonies, they also display portraits of their ancestors, hanging them on the Taishi wall to add a solemn atmosphere to the reverent occasion.

Finger Puppet Show: Performers attach puppet heads to a sack-like costume, inserting one hand inside. They use their index finger to manipulate the puppet’s head and their thumb and middle finger to control its hands, bringing the puppets to life in vivid and lively performances. The movements of the puppet characters are dynamic and expressive, creating a lively and engaging show.

Transportation:

The ancient village is located deep in Taishun, surrounded mostly by mountains, at the border between Zhejiang and Fujian. To get to Tatoudi from Yayang, you can take a local tricycle, which is a convenient option. Alternatively, hiring a car locally—such as a 7-seater Chang’an or Changhe minivan—costs about 250 RMB per day, while a more standard car like a Shanghai (also known as “Pu-Sang”) may cost around 300–400 RMB per day.