Jiangcun Ancient Architectural Complex

Jiangcun Ancient Architectural Complex

The Jiangcun Ancient Architectural Complex is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Jiangcun is nestled at the foot of the picturesque Huangshan Mountain in Jingde County, Anhui Province, more than 30 kilometers from the Huangshan Scenic Area, with National Highway 205 running alongside the village. – The ancestors of General Secretary – lived here. On May 21, 2001, – the President – personally visited Jiangcun, paid homage to his ancestral home, met with villagers, and left an inscription as a memento.

Jiangcun has a history of nearly 1,400 years. According to the Jiang family genealogy, Bo Yi’s son Xuan Zhong, who served as the minister to Yu the Great, was enfeoffed by Yu’s son Qi in the land of Jiang, becoming the founding ancestor of the Jiang clan. The 86th-generation descendant of Xuan Zhong, the literary figure Jiang Yan, was from Koucheng during the Liang Dynasty of the Northern and Southern Dynasties and served as the prefect of Xuancheng. The fifth-generation descendant of Jiang Yan, Jiang Shao, traveled extensively through Huangshan and Baiyue, eventually choosing to settle with his clan at the Golden Turtle Mountain west of Jing County, thus the place came to be called Jiangcun.

Surrounded by mountains and water, with crisscrossing fields, Jiangcun boasts beautiful natural scenery. It faces towering peaks ahead and hides serene valleys behind. Two streams wind through the village, converging at the mouth of the village and pooling around the scenic Xiu Lake. Nearby, ancient temples, pagodas, poetry steles, embankments, weeping willows, and lotus flowers create a picturesque scene. The accumulated influence of Huizhou merchants and officials once earned Jiangcun the reputation of “Little Hangzhou.” During the Ming and Qing dynasties, it produced 126 scholars, jinshi degree holders, and mingjing scholars, and in the first decade of the Republic of China, 19 individuals earned bachelor’s or doctoral degrees. This is truly rare among ancient Chinese villages and unmatched by many other ancient villages in Huizhou.

The rich historical and cultural heritage nurtured many talents in Jiangcun. Among the notable figures are: Tang Dynasty imperial censor Jiang Quanming, Ming Dynasty official of the Shuntian Prefecture Jiang Wenzhong, Ming Dynasty regional inspector of Huguang Jiang Tingji, Qing Dynasty acting Nanhé Governor and Jianghe Canal intendant Jiang Han, Hanlin academician and compiler with a second-rank title Jiang Shuyun, Grand Secretary and Vice Minister of Rites with a second-rank title Jiang Linrui, Qing Dynasty medical scientist and inventor of the human pox inoculation method Jiang Xishun, Qing Dynasty Hanlin academician and calligrapher Jiang Zhiyi, naval officer Jiang Zeshu who sacrificed his life for the nation during the Republic of China, founder of *Silk Words* and folklorist Jiang Shaoyuan, acting mayor of Beijing and acting premier of the Republic of China Jiang Chaozong, governor of Anhui Province during the Republic of China Jiang Shaojie, socialist leader Jiang Kanghu who was personally awarded a doctoral degree by U.S. President Woodrow Wilson, as well

The unique feng shui and thriving literary culture have made Jiangcun a place where "high-ranking officials emerged in every generation and talents arose in every age" for thousands of years. Having endured a thousand years of historical vicissitudes, Jiangcun preserves well-preserved memorial archways, ancestral halls, old streets, and former residences of notable figures, retaining its timeless ancient charm. The filial piety of Jiangcun has been immortalized in history and passed down through the ages. It is home to the only Filial Son Ancestral Hall in southern Anhui. It can be said that Jiangcun uniquely combines historical, cultural, and filial piety elements, standing out uniquely across China—there’s a story upon entering the village, and poetic inspiration at every sight. Currently, Jiangcun has begun to embody the reputation of a historic “Little Hangzhou.” The ancestral halls feature soaring upturned eaves, multiple tiers, carved beams, and painted rafters, recreating an ancient and dignified atmosphere. Jiangcun now has over ten national-level cultural heritage protection units. It is said that the ancestral painting of the Jiang family, created by the talented Tang Bohu, remains vivid and striking to this day. The Jiang Family Genealogy, having lasted a millennium with a complete set of 22 volumes, was recommended alongside the genealogies of the Kong family of Qufu and the Aisin Gioro family to participate in the Panama International Genealogy Congress in the 1920s. It was hailed by historians as one of China’s three great genealogies and is now included in the field of international Huizhou studies.

The ancestral painting of the Jiang family, said to be created by the talented Tang Bohu, remains vivid and striking to this day. The Jiang Family Genealogy, having lasted a millennium with a complete set of 22 volumes, was recommended alongside the genealogies of the Kong family of Qufu and the Aisin Gioro family to participate in the Panama International Genealogy Congress in the 1920s. It was hailed by historians as one of China’s three great genealogies and is now included in the field of international Huizhou studies.

The eco-tourism of Jiangcun Scenic Area can be considered a major highlight within China’s Anhui “Two Mountains and One Lake” tourism circle. With the theme of “staying in farmhouses, eating farmhouse meals, and enjoying the ancient village scenery,” Jiangcun’s tourism industry is thriving. The thousand-year-old ancient village of Jiangcun welcomes visitors from all over.

A famous historical and cultural village in China, a national AAAA-level scenic area, a national key cultural relics protection cluster, a classic route of China’s red tourism, the top feng shui treasure of southern Anhui, and the ancestral home of Chairman [Mao]—Welcome to Jiangcun, China.

(1) Jiang Family Ancestral Hall.

Protected area: 50 meters east, 20 meters south and north, 15 meters west.

Construction control zone: 30 meters east of the protected area, 20 meters south, west, and north.

(2) Pu Ancestral Hall.

Protected area: 25 meters east, 15 meters south, 20 meters west, 40 meters north.

Construction control zone: 50 meters east, south, west, and north.

(3) Filial Son Ancestral Hall.

Protected area: 10 meters east and west, 20 meters south and north.

Construction control zone: 40 meters east, south, west, and north.

(4) Father-Son Jinshi Memorial Archway.

Protected area: 20 meters east and west, 15 meters south and north.

Construction control zone: 50 meters east and west, 20 meters south and north.

(5) Duxiu Hall.

Protected area: 10 meters east, south, and north, 15 meters west.

Construction control zone: 20 meters east and south, 15 meters west, 30 meters north.

(6) Jinxiu Hall.

Protected area: 10 meters east, south, west, and north.

Construction control zone: 20 meters east, south, and north, 25 meters west.

(7) Anran Villa.

Protected area: 5 meters to the east and south, 10 meters to the west and north.

Construction control zone: 10 meters to the east, 15 meters to the south and west, 20 meters to the north.

(8) Former Residence of Jiang Zehan.

Protected area: 10 meters to the east and north, 20 meters to the south and west.

Construction control zone: 15 meters to the east and north, 30 meters to the south and west.

(9) Former Residence of Jiang Dongxiu.

Protected area: 10 meters to the east and north, 20 meters to the south, 15 meters to the west.

Construction control zone: Same as the protected area.

(10) Juxiu Lake.

Protected area: 20 meters to the east, south, west, and north.

Construction control zone: 50 meters to the east, south, west, and north.

(11) Old Street.

Protected area: 20 meters to the east, south, west, and north.

Construction control zone: 30 meters to the east, south, west, and north.

Further reading:

· Sixth Batch of Major National Historical and Cultural Sites