Hongcun Water Channel

Hongcun Water Channel

Hongcun Water Channel, built during the Yongle era of the Ming Dynasty, stretches over 1,200 meters in total. The ancestors of the people of Hongcun dammed the Yixi River upstream of the village, constructing an artificial water channel several meters wide using stone blocks. Leveraging the natural terrain gradient, they channeled water into the village. The channel winds and turns through houses and courtyards, passes by the Moon Pond, and finally flows into the South Lake. After exiting the lake, it irrigates farmland, waters fruit trees, and ultimately returns to the Sui Creek. The water channel served as the ancient village’s “running water.” In those days, the Wang family ancestors established a rule that water in the “ox-gut” channel before 8:00 a.m. was reserved for drinking, and villagers could only use it for washing after 8:00 a.m. The water channel reflects the ingenuity behind Hongcun’s design and is closely integrated with the lives of its residents.

Hongcun Village: Located in the northeastern part of Yi County, Anhui Province, Hongcun Village covers an area of 19.11 hectares. The village was first established during the Shaoxi era of the Southern Song Dynasty (1131 AD) and has a history of over 800 years. Nestled against the extensions of Huangshan Mountain such as Yangzhan Ridge and Leigang Mountain, the area enjoys relatively high elevation and is known as the “village in a Chinese painting.”

Hongcun is located at the southwestern foot of Huangshan Mountain and north of Yi County. The village spans 4.1 square kilometers, with 768 acres of cultivated land, 13 villager groups, 437 households, and 1,368 residents. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site, a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit, a National 5A-level Tourist Attraction, a National Eco-Cultural Village, … More detailed information about Hongcun Village++