Nanping Scenic Area

Nanping Scenic Area

Nanping Scenic Area is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

Nanping was formerly known as Yecun, named after its location backed by Nanping Mountain to the southwest of the village. Since the late Yuan Dynasty, when the Ye clan migrated from Baima Mountain in Qimen, the village rapidly expanded. By the Ming Dynasty, it had developed into a settlement governed by three major clans—the Ye, Cheng, and Li—coexisting and managing their own domains. Especially from the mid-Qing Dynasty onward, mutual competition and ambition among the three clans propelled Nanping Village into its golden age. With a population of just over a thousand, the village boasted 36 wells, 72 lanes, and more than 300 well-preserved ancient residences from the Ming and Qing dynasties. Moreover, the village still retains a significant number of ancestral halls, branch halls, and family shrines, earning it the reputation among visitors as the “Museum of Ancient Ancestral Hall Architecture in China.”

Located at the heart of Nanping Village, the Ye Clan Ancestral Hall “Xu Zhi Tang” was first built during the Chenghua era of the Ming Dynasty. It faces west and covers an area of nearly 2,000 square meters. In its heyday, the hall displayed inscribed plaques such as “Imperialy Appointed Hanlin Academician,” “Imperially Granted Hanlin Academician,” and “Imperially Selected County Magistrate.” Its couplet read: “The Stone Forest lineage extends far, our family’s fame travels wide; The Martial Waters flow back, a fresh scene unfolds.” On either side of the grand entrance stood a pair of exquisitely carved stone drums made from Qimen bluestone, adding to the solemn atmosphere. The ancestral hall was supported by 80 thick pillars and divided into three main sections: the upper, middle, and lower halls. The upper hall served as the main ceremonial space, the middle hall as the worship area, and the lower hall as a venue for music performances or even theatrical shows.

Most of the branch and family ancestral halls in Nanping Village were constructed by families who had achieved official status or prosperity. The Ye Kui Guang Tang, built during the Hongzhi era of the Ming Dynasty, was a gathering hall where the Ye clan worshipped their fourth-generation ancestor, Ye Gui. It is now a county-level protected cultural relic. Gui, whose given name was Wen Gui, courtesy name Tian Rui, and alias Nan Ping, was a tribute student in the second year of the Chenghua era of the Ming Dynasty and once served as the magistrate of Lan County in Taiyuan Prefecture, Shanxi. The Li Clan Branch Ancestral Hall was dedicated to Li Zong Mei, a prominent Huizhou merchant of the late Qing Dynasty.

In addition to its numerous ancestral halls, Nanping Village also features many ancient private school gardens and traditional residences. The “Ban Chun Yuan,” also known as the “Plum Garden,” built during the Guangxu era of the Qing Dynasty, was a private school courtyard established by the wealthy merchant Ye Zi Zhang for his children’s education. The garden includes three large study rooms, a semicircular courtyard, and a couplet that reads: “In tranquil joy, one forgets the rank of high officials; in pure travel, one surpasses the dust of silken finery.” The “Xi Yuan” (West Garden), renowned through the famous essay “Record of the West Garden” by Yao Nai, a leading figure of the Tongcheng School of literature, is located in front of the Ye Clan Ancestral Hall. Built in the 56th year of the Qianlong era (1791) of the Qing Dynasty, it spans nearly 1 hectare and consists of four main sections: the Peony Garden, Plum and Bamboo Garden, Landscape Garden, and Pine and Cypress Garden. It was created by Ye Jun Hua for his children’s education and moral cultivation. Sadly, the West Garden has been largely destroyed, leaving only the stone-carved gate plaque inscribed with “West Garden,” along with remnants such as the West Garden Stream, West Garden Bridge, and ancient camphor trees. Other notable structures in the village include the “Pei Lan Shu Wu,” “Pei Yu Shan Fang,” and “Mei Yuan Jia Shu.”

Nanping Village still preserves nearly 300 well-maintained ancient residences from the Ming and Qing dynasties, each featuring ingenious structures and unique designs, such as Bing Ling Ge, Shen Si Tang, Nan Xun Bie Shu, Yi Nan Bie Shu, Diao Hua Ting, Xiao Yang Lou, and Guan Ting. The village is crisscrossed by high walls and winding lanes of varying lengths, making it feel like a labyrinth to visitors—truly a place where “you can get in, but you might not get out.” One out-of-town visitor who drove a car said he had never gotten lost in the streets of Beijing, Tianjin, or Shanghai, but ended up quite embarrassed in Nanping. And that is no exaggeration.

Nestled against mountains and water, Nanping Village also boasts particularly delightful ancient water gateway architecture. A 40-meter-long three-arch stone bridge spans the Wuling Stream. The bridge is equipped with stone pillars and railings, and its arch bears a large stone inscription reading “Wan Song Qiao” (Ten Thousand Pines Bridge), traditionally attributed to the literary master Yao Nai. Crossing the Wan Song Bridge, visitors are greeted by a cluster of historic structures including the Lei Zu Dian (Thunder Ancestor Hall), Wen Chang Ge (Literature Tower), Guan Yin Lou (Goddess of Mercy Pavilion), and Wan Song Ting (Ten Thousand Pines Pavilion). Further back lies the Wan Song Forest, home to dozens or even hundreds of towering ancient trees. Within the forest stands the Nanyang Academy and a clear spring known as Li Quan (Sweet Spring). The former main gate of the Lei Zu Dian featured a couplet that read: “Those who benefit the people through their virtues deserve worship; those who are upright and unwavering are revered as deities.” The murals inside the hall, known for their vivid imagery and grand presence, have long been famous far and wide.

In the early 1990s, the acclaimed film “Ju Dou” was shot in Nanping Village, marking the beginning of its tourism industry. Subsequent films such as “The Big Turn” and “Huizhou Merchants,” also filmed in the village, further boosted its fame, earning it the title “China’s Film Village.” The village has since promoted tourism themes such as “Hometown of Ju Dou,” “Labyrinth of High Walls and Deep Lanes,” and “Exploring Historical Sites of the Famous,” attracting an ever-increasing stream of visitors to Nanping.