Zhuxi Ancient Village

Zhuxi Ancient Village

Zhuxi Village is located in the southeastern part of Shengzhou City. Along both sides of the creek here are forests of bitter bamboo, and the village site is built on a riverside beach densely overgrown with bitter bamboo, hence the original name Ku Zhu Xi (Bitter Bamboo Creek). The village took its name from the creek, and after the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the character “Ku” (bitter) was dropped, leaving the name Zhuxi.

Zhuxi Village has a history of over 500 years to date. Its ancient layout remains largely intact, and it boasts a rich cultural heritage. It is recognized as a historical and cultural village in Zhejiang Province and has been listed in the second batch of China’s Traditional Villages.

“The winding clear creek embraces the village ahead, surrounded by peaks that merge with the city walls.” Zhuxi Village is nestled among mountains and concealed within forests, with a stream flowing around it, forming a picturesque scene of mountains, water, and homes.

The village is dotted with historic sites. Centered around the Flagpole Archway, more than ten well-preserved structures—including the Old House Archway and Yifeng Archway—are distributed in an orderly fashion, forming a Qing Dynasty architectural complex spanning over 20,000 square meters.

The Flagpole Archway is the iconic building of the remote mountain village of Zhuxi. Legend has it that it was funded by Qian Wanxiang, the 30th-generation descendant of King Wusu and known as the wealthiest man in eastern Zhejiang at the time, and was built in the Daoguang era (1844). The structure consists of 66 rooms and covers an area of 5,000 square meters. In front of the archway is a stone plaque inscribed with the words “Yun Yu Han Hui” (containing jade and radiance) in Manchu script, regarded as the village’s treasured relic. Within this remote mountain village, nearly a hundred households still live under these ancient archways and mansions, making it almost a living museum—and the villagers are the guardians of these historic homes. Among the well-preserved features inside the Zhuxi Flagpole Archway are the wood carvings. To date, there are still hundreds of intact Qing Dynasty wooden carved brackets, along with numerous ancient wooden windows and doors. Some antique dealers, coveting these artifacts, have offered up to 5,000 yuan for a single carved bracket, but all such offers have been firmly rejected by the villagers.

The remote mountain village of Zhuxi is situated at the source of the Xiao Shun River and possesses dual significance in terms of historical-cultural and ecological resource preservation. According to a local official from the Zhuxi Township government, after the village passed the provincial-level evaluation for historical and cultural ancient villages, it attracted widespread attention, and two groups of entrepreneurs from Shaoxing have already visited the site out of interest.

Cultural Activities

Zhuxi Village grandly held the “Huang Clan Ancestral Hall Revitalization Ceremony.” Attendees included Hong Kong compatriots such as Ms. Huang Lide, Mr. Huang Guoding, and Mr. Huang Fuquan, among dozens of others. That evening, 200 tables were arranged to host banquets for villagers, clan members, and guests from all walks of life, making the celebration lively and vibrant. The Huang Clan Ancestral Hall was originally a modest ancestral temple that was expanded and renovated in 1914 by Huang Jingfa, a Malaysian overseas Chinese from Zhuxi Village, who invested heavily in reconstructing it with a blend of Chinese and Western architectural styles. The hall covers an area of 800 square meters. Since its completion in 1914, the Huang Clan Ancestral Hall had endured 94 years of weathering and neglect, falling into disrepair.

To protect this historical and cultural heritage and in response to renewed calls from fellow villagers at home and abroad for its restoration, the renovation of the Huang Clan Ancestral Hall in Zhuxi Village commenced in April 2008. Ms. Huang Lide, a Hong Kong compatriot and Honorary Citizen of Jiangmen City, took the lead by donating 380,000 Hong Kong dollars. Other compatriots from Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, and Malaysia also contributed generously. Support also came from Mr. Huang Qiu, a clan member from Shuangshui, and fellow villagers Huang Yongqiu and Huang Dijing from inland areas, all of whom made substantial donations. After more than six months of restoration, the Huang Clan Ancestral Hall regained its former glory.