Ancient Kongling Scenic Area

Ancient Kongling Scenic Area

Kongling Village boasts a long history, shaped by the passage of time; its streets and alleys are interconnected, with houses scattered in an array that has gathered people from all directions to live and thrive, known as the silk capital of Huizhou. Wong Hua Gong and Kong Yu, the founding ancestors, have left many unresolved mysteries of the landscape hidden within ancient Kongling to this day, including fishing by the Twin Streams, Qiuzhongli, Moon Gazing at West Bridge, the Turtle Tale at Ghost Mound, and Horse Testing at Seven-Star Mound.

The Chengpo Villa, a landlord manor within the Ancient Kongling Wang Family Courtyard Scenic Area, is a major tourist attraction in Kongling Village. It includes the Nanping Reading Hall, where clan scholars gathered for seminars, the Zirui Pavilion dedicated to the First Rank Lady, the ritual architecture of Zhonglie Temple, the small courtyard in front of the Ink Pad Shrine known for its legendary origins, the Qinqi Hall for family gatherings, the ever-flowing Kai Pond with living water, the mysterious Eight-Angle Xuanjing with hidden secrets, the golden osmanthus tree over 400 years old exuding fragrant blossoms, the Yingpo Villa Hall inscribed with a plaque by Hu Shi, the Longqi Pavilion at the Dragon Vein of Xuanwu, the solemn and majestic Junde Hall as the main residence, the Pavillion Screen Seclusion Pavilion for tea tasting and socializing, the Calligraphy Practice Courtyard for students copying classics, the Loyalty and Trust Studio recreating peaceful living, the Farming and Studying Hall displaying ancestral teachings, the Immortal Temple of the Kong Family—Ye Li Ancient Temple, the Aspiration Poetry Study—Lanxiang Book House, and the Moral Warning Alley. These sites recreate the luxury of Huizhou-style residences focused on farming and scholarly traditions, offering a unique glimpse into the landlord sentiment. They allow visitors to experience the worldview of Huizhou’s gentry families, who preferred not to pursue official careers but rather to make use of the mountains and forests, dedicating themselves to farming. Explore and study the agricultural, feng shui, and ritual cultures of the Huizhou Wang family...

Residing here was Wang Zunsuo, the 75th-generation descendant of Wong Hua Gong. The Chengpo Villa was inscribed by Hu Shi in the summer of the 17th year of the Republic of China. This gem of Jing County’s residential architecture—the Ancient Kongling Chengpo Villa (Landlord Manor), bestowed by the Song Dynasty as the "First Family of Jiangnan"—covers a construction area of 3,600 square meters. Nestled against the mountain and by the water, facing the streets and alleys, it features white walls and black tiles arranged in close rows, with rich greens complementing the black-and-white palette, forming a distinctive style. Attractions within include Junde Hall, Nanping Reading, Calligraphy Practice Courtyard, Pavillion Screen Seclusion Pavilion, Zirui Pavilion, Zhonglie Temple, Qinqi Hall, Kai Pond with living water, Eight-Angle Xuanjing, Flower Hall Stage, Ye Li Ancient Temple, Lüyu Pavilion, Osmanthus Fragrance, Chengpo Villa, and Longqi Pavilion. These include spaces for clan seminars, the First Rank Lady quarters, ritual buildings, ink pad legends, family gathering halls, the 400-year-old golden osmanthus, Hu Shi’s inscribed plaque, the Xuanwu dragon vein, tea socializing spaces, calligraphy practice courtyards, ancestral teaching halls, and the Kong Family Immortal Temple. They recreate the luxury of Huizhou-style homes centered on farming and passing down scholarly traditions, offering a unique glimpse into the landlord sentiment. Visitors can experience the worldview of Huizhou’s gentry families, who preferred not to pursue official careers but rather to make use of the mountains and forests, dedicating themselves to farming. Explore and study the agricultural, feng shui, and ritual cultures of the Huizhou Wang family...

A wealth of cultural structures—academies, pavilions, temples, and gardens—are interspersed throughout, giving the entire environment a rich cultural atmosphere and garden-like charm. Viewed from above, the villa presents layers of white walls and blue tiles, undulating and arranged in a well-balanced composition. The tiered horse-head walls rise above the rooftops; some are higher in the middle and lower at the ends, partially revealing the sloped roof ridges, half-hidden and half-visible, creating a striking contrast between black and white. Others slope downward in a V-shape at the top, with their ends stepping down several levels, and their upturned eaves adorned with grey tiles curling upwards. Against the blue sky, they outline the silhouette of the rooftops and heavens, enhancing the spatial layering and rhythmic beauty, reflecting harmony between heaven and humanity. The residences are mostly multi-story buildings, built around central courtyards with "four waters converging to the hall" designs, numbering more than ten. They include courtyards and small gardens furnished with stone tables and benches, dug-out wells and fishponds, and planted with flowers, plants, and fruit trees, blending seamlessly with nature. Interior decorations strive for exquisite detail, with beams, pillars, and panels all painted and gilded, especially showcasing the artistry of wood, brick, and stone carvings. These intricate carvings adorn bracket arms, window lattices, door screens, flower gates, railings, and spirit tablet niches. The carvings depict scenes of landscapes, celestial bodies, and waterscapes, flowers, plants, insects, birds, and beasts, historical and mythological stories, as well as daily life themes such as farming, weaving, fishing, woodcutting, scholarship, and filial piety. Rich in content and exquisitely carved, they bring to life a vivid scroll of Ming and Qing-era culture, infusing otherwise static forms with vitality, making them seem alive and dynamic.