Huangtian Village

Huangtian Village

Huangtian Village is located in the eastern part of Langqiao Town, Jing County, covering a total area of 25.7 square kilometers. It administers 6 communities, 25 mutual aid groups, has 922 households, and a population of 3,183 people. The village includes 3,570 mu of paddy fields and 650 mu of tea plantations, producing “Yongxi Huoqing” tea, one of China’s top ten famous teas. Within the village, there are remnants of military air-raid shelters built in the 1960s. A national third-grade standard road, 5 kilometers long, connects Huangtian Natural Village directly from National Highway 205, offering convenient transportation.

With a long history and profound cultural heritage, the village was approved as an Anhui Provincial Historical and Cultural Village in October 2006. Nestled amidst green mountains and clear waters, the village features well-preserved ancient residential complexes from the Qing Dynasty, which are valuable historical and cultural relics. There are currently 57 historic buildings and 110 individual structures, covering a construction area of 33,000 square meters. In May 2006, it was approved by the State Council as part of the sixth batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level. Among them, the Huangtian Fengzi River landscape was honored with the title of “China’s Classic Village Landscape” in the first edition. Its architecture embodies the grandeur of imperial palaces, the charm of Suzhou gardens, and the distinctive characteristics of Huizhou-style architecture in southern Anhui.

The village features crisscrossing lanes and interconnected open and hidden drainage channels, with flowing water running through the settlement. Among these, the unique cultural architecture of Yangchuan House, the traditional building material craft of water-milled floral bricks, and the feng shui culture of the village's natural water inlet collectively form three major architectural highlights of the ancient village.

Notable attractions in the village include Yangchuan House. Also known as Ducun Hall, it covers an area of over 4,200 square meters and is shaped like a ship. The structure is surrounded by high walls, with deep ditches on both sides. Both the wall and the main body of the house mimic the shape of a ship and are built along the terrain. The “bow” of the ship is pointed, with the tip of the courtyard wall slightly upturned. When viewed from the middle front part of the courtyard wall, it resembles the foredeck of a ship. To avoid significant height differences, these variations are arranged on either side of the gate, minimizing visual notice.

Inside the courtyard walls are a square garden and a private school. Their height does not exceed that of the walls, except for the two-story “Meicun Family School,” which stands out like the “captain’s deck.” The middle and rear parts of the ship-like structure have taller walls, resembling passenger cabins, housing multi-level, spacious residences and halls, closely resembling the structure of a grand ocean liner.

There are 20 houses within Yangchuan House, including living quarters such as a three-unit building with nine rooms per unit, a single building with seven rooms, and another with five rooms. Other spaces include an open hall used for ancestor worship and wedding or funeral ceremonies, a banquet hall, a private school for children’s education, a garden for leisure, and servant quarters and stables for staff and horses.

The entire environment is highly suitable for the various needs of a feudal extended family—such as daily living, dining, ancestor worship, studying, and resting. Visually, it forms a cleverly designed architectural complex that takes advantage of the creek and mountain terrain, with an overall appearance resembling a large passenger ship.