Shangjie Ancient Village

Shangjie Ancient Village

Shangjie Village is located at the northern end of Yangmen Township, Anfu County, Ji'an City, Jiangxi Province, and is part of the extension of the Luoxiao Mountain Range. The terrain is higher in the east and north, lower in the southwest, surrounded by hills on all sides, with mostly flat plains in the center, resembling a basin. The village is backed by Jinxi Mountain to the north, Jilian Mountain to the west, and Qian Mountain to the east, forming a natural barrier with mountains on three sides. The entire village is nestled against mountains and water, shaded by lush green trees. The Chen River, originating from the Chen Mountain Range, meanders gracefully like a jade ribbon from the southwest side of the village. Behind the village, streams from three valleys converge into three perennial rivers: the Leiyuan River, the Jiuyuan River, and the Haiyuan River. Along these three rivers, villagers have cultivated three large fertile fields totaling over 3,000 mu, namely Leiyuanlong, Jiuyuanlong, and Haiyuanlong, which form the main agricultural production area of Shangjie Ancient Village. In the first year of the Zhenguan era of the Tang Dynasty (627 AD), the ancestor of the Liang family, Yanjun, migrated from Changsha, Hunan, to establish the settlement here, giving the village a history of nearly 1,400 years. During the Five Dynasties period, Liu Qian migrated from Taihe Jiuzhou to this area, pioneering and developing the land, eventually making the village a traditional settlement predominantly inhabited by the Liu clan. The village is surrounded by mountains and water, boasts beautiful scenery, and has a simple and sincere local culture, forming a naturally splendid place. Based on Ming and Qing dynasty architecture, Shangjie Village integrates ancestral hall culture, Taoist culture, Buddhist culture, Confucian culture, and revolutionary culture, all complementing each other. It is now one of the counties’ most culturally rich and well-preserved ancient villages with typical architecture. In 2012, it was listed as one of the first batch of traditional villages by China’s Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of Culture.

Shangjie Village retains settlement characteristics representative of farming culture and a distinct pattern of bloodline-based clustering. The overall layout of the village centers around the Shangcheng Liu Ancestral Hall, located at the heart of the village, with residences of various clan branches organized around their respective ancestral halls and worship halls, forming five main districts.

Shangjie Village has a large number of ancient buildings, complete in type and function. Forty-eight ponds in four rows are strung together like a pearl necklace, interconnected by small bridges and flowing water. At the village entrance stands an ancient camphor tree, towering into the sky. The ancient village currently has 92 Ming and Qing dynasty buildings, 16 ancestral halls, 13 temples, 9 ancient bridges, 1 ancient pagoda, 8 ancient gateways, 10 ancient wells, 2 communal granaries, 6 study rooms, 7 ancient lanes, 10 clusters of ancient dwellings, and 155 ancient camphor trees. Scattered within the residences are many exquisite stone carvings, wood carvings, brick carvings, screens, and caisson ceilings, vividly reflecting the craftsmanship and cultural heritage of rural architecture during the Ming and Qing dynasties, holding significant historical and cultural research value.

Shangjie was among the earliest rural villages in Anfu to be involved in the revolutionary struggles of Jinggangshan and the Central Soviet Area. It preserves many red relics and cultural artifacts from the war years. It once served as the site of a revolutionary base and the district government of the Soviet Area, becoming a center of local red political power. In February 1931, the Hunan-Jiangxi Provincial Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, the Provincial Soviet Government, and the Provincial Military District established the “Lenin School” in the Liu Ancestral Hall of the village, training a large number of outstanding military and civilian cadres who contributed to the consolidation of the Soviet government and the revolutionary cause. The site of the Lenin School, the former office of the First District Government of Anfu County, the local branch of the Young Communist League of Anfu County, and dozens of Red Army slogans are still preserved today.

Shangjie, anciently known as “Shangcheng,” got its name because the village is surrounded by mountains that embrace it like a city. Later, due to population growth and thriving commerce, shops and workshops lined both sides of the main thoroughfare running through the village, resembling a bustling street within a city—hence the name Shangjie (Upper Street). According to the *Liang Clan Genealogy*, in the first year of the Zhenguan era of the Tang Dynasty (627 AD), Liang Yanjun from Changsha, Hunan, established the settlement at the foot of Jinxi Mountain, which is why the surnames in Shangjie follow the saying “First came Liang, Tang, Zhou, and Duan, then Wu, Hu, Feng, and Liu.” Additionally, according to the *Shangcheng Liu Clan Genealogy*, Liu Xia, the 15th-generation descendant of Liu Jiao, the King of Chu Yuan during the Western Han Dynasty, served as the prefect of Ancheng during the Western Jin Dynasty and settled in Dadiao, Anfu. By the Five Dynasties period, the 21st-generation descendant of Liu Xia, Liu Qian, migrated from Taihe Jiuzhou to Shangcheng, becoming the founding ancestor of the “Aijing Hall.”

During the Song Dynasty, it was under the jurisdiction of Anfu County, Ji'an Prefecture. In the first year of the Yuanshen era of the Yuan Dynasty (1295), it belonged to Anzhou, Ji'an Road. In the early Ming Dynasty, it was under the jurisdiction of Anfu County, Ji'an Prefecture, Jiangxi Provincial Administration Commission. In the Qing Dynasty, it was part of the 36th District of Xingde Township. In 1930, the Shangcheng District Soviet Government was established, governing 28 townships and under the jurisdiction of the Anfu County Soviet Government. From 1941 to 1947, Shangcheng Township was established, governing nine wards and under the administration of Anfu County. In 1949, it came under the jurisdiction of Zhouhu District Government. In 1950, the Shangcheng District Government was restored, governing 10 townships. In 1952, it belonged to Jintian District. In 1956, the county’s nine districts were abolished, and Shangcheng Township was established. In 1958, under the people's commune system, Shangcheng Township was merged into Yangmen Commune. In 1972, it came under the Revolutionary Committee of Yangmen Commune. Since 1978, it has been under the jurisdiction of Yangmen Township Government to the present day.