Leping Ancient Streets and Villages

Leping Ancient Streets and Villages

(1) Old North Street Area of Leping City

The Old North Street of Leping City is a historical district that was primarily commercial in history, supplemented by residential buildings and folk culture. It spans an area bounded by Zhushan East Road (formerly East Main Street) to the south, extending north to Changputang and a section of the old city’s Changshou Road, west to Jiyang North Road (formerly North Main Street), and east to Weimin Road, covering a total area of about 30 hectares. The area features a well-planned, grid-like alley structure. Major longitudinal alleys include Old North Street, Changsha Lane, Zhou Family Lane, Fugui Lane, and Wanshou Palace, while major transverse alleys include Pawnshop Lane, Chaixiangkou, Chengjia Lane, Changputang Lane, and Huayuan Lane. Among these, Old North Street is the most completely preserved. Stretching over 580 meters in length and 4 meters in width, it originally had a rectangular granite-paved surface. Along both sides of the street, shops, residences, ancestral halls, temples, ancient wells, ponds, alleys, teahouses, and workshops stand in close succession, with over 70% being ancient buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties or the Republican era. Old North Street was first built during the Southern Dynasties and flourished during the Ming, Qing, and Republican periods. In 319 AD (the third year of Taixing during the Eastern Jin Dynasty), Anyin Temple, located in the middle section of the North Street, was one of the two renowned temples in the Gan-Po region at the time, which is also how Leping got its nickname “Big Temple Top.” During the Southern Dynasties, Prince Xiao Hui of Poyang built the Yuzhi Ze Manor at Wanjia Temple, thus laying the foundation for Old North Street. In 883 AD (the third year of Zhonghe during the Tang Dynasty), the county seat of Leping County was moved from Tongbu Tongshan Port to Huaye Town, where Old North Street is located, making North Main Street the origin point of the county town’s development. By the Song Dynasty, Old North Street had developed into a main street for selling local specialties, miscellaneous goods from north and south, fireworks, bamboo charcoal, and timber. Due to multiple fires throughout its history, locals nicknamed it “Fire Dragon Street.” When Fan Zhongyan served as Prefect of Raozhou and passed through Leping, he ordered residents to raise funds to dig wells and build pools for fire prevention, hence the name Wanjia Pool. At the same time, Guoxi Temple was built opposite Wanjia Pool to ward off evil and suppress fires (it was burned down in the Xianfeng era of the Qing Dynasty), giving its name to Guoxi Temple Lane. During the Ming Dynasty’s Wanli era, Wanjia Pool was renamed Fanjia Pool, and a grand ancestral hall for the Fan family was constructed east of the pool in honor of Fan Zhongyan. In the Qing Dynasty, Fan Wencheng’s deeds were displayed inside the hall. Old North Street reached its heyday during the Qing Dynasty, hosting nearly 400 shops and becoming Leping’s most prosperous commercial district until the early days of liberation. Due to urban development and the renovation and widening of the original east, west, and south streets, and since Old North Street could not connect with South Street, a new North Street (now called Jiyang Road) was built, leaving Old North Street as the only fully preserved ancient street in Leping today.

Within the Old North Street area, there are also important historical and cultural heritage sites (structures) such as the Qing Dynasty Jiang Family Pawnshop Complex, the Zhou and Peng Family Ancestral Halls, He Garden, the former site of the Poyang Lake Garrison Command, Xuejiatang, Xiaoyueyi, Sandu Examination Hall, Laoyingpan, Zhushan Academy, as well as the former residences of Wang Dagang and Wang Dashou at No. 3 Huayuan Lane, the early Ming prefectural official Peng Family residence at No. 13 Fugui Lane, and others.

(2) Ancient Chenghuangmiao Area of Leping City

The Ancient Chenghuangmiao Area of Leping is a historical and cultural district primarily centered around folk culture, supplemented by political, residential, and commercial elements. It spans an area bounded by East Main Street (now Zhushan East Road) to the north, Yingbin Road to the south, Zhuangyuan Lane to the east, and South Main Street (now Jiyang South Road) to the west, covering a total area of about 25 hectares. The alleys in this area are neatly arranged. Longitudinal alleys include Zhuangyuan Lane, Zaipei Lane, Fulu Lane, and Caigui Lane, while transverse alleys include Yu Family Ancestral Lane, Zhi Ancestral Lane, Zhushan Ridge Lane, and Xiaonanmen Lane. Among them, the Chenghuangmiao Temple occupies the largest area. As for the “Chenghuangmiao Side” lane, it connects to Xiaonanmen in the east and reaches Hejiatai and Longshenmiao in the west, stretching 65 meters in length, accounting for nearly half of the land in the southeastern part of the old city.

The Leping Chenghuangmiao (City God Temple) was initially built during the Tang Dynasty’s Zhonghe era. Known for its function of “safeguarding the county and solemnizing public view” and its role in “silently assisting governance,” it underwent continuous repairs throughout the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. After the founding of the People’s Republic, the temple underwent many alterations, and part of it now belongs to a food factory.

Within the Old Chenghuangmiao area, there are sites such as Ruxueli (Confucian Temple), Guanyinge (Fengyou Academy), the old county yamen, Wudu Examination Hall, Longshen Well, Longwangmiao (Dragon King Temple), Mawangmiao (Horse King Temple), ancestral halls of the Ma, Hong, and Yu families, the residence of Wang Daocheng, the Peng Family residence, as well as former homes of celebrities like Xu Huanshan and Hu Yanling. Caigui Lane also retains a classical classical-style brothel.

(3) Mingkou Old Street

Mingkou Old Street is located on the north bank of the Le’an River, 44 kilometers southeast of Leping City, and is the site of the former Mingkou County government. The Le’an River was one of the main water routes for ancient Huizhou to enter Raozhou and Poyang Lake. Below Mingkou Town, the river suddenly becomes deeper and wider, serving as a distribution hub for large quantities of timber and mountain produce from upstream and daily necessities from downstream. Its strategic location made it the first major town along the Le’an River entering Leping. In 904 AD (during the Tianyou era of the Tang Dynasty), the Xu family migrated here from Henan, and the area now has 1,300 households and over 5,500 residents. The old district has two centers: one is the cross-shaped area, which retains over 20 old shops dealing in miscellaneous goods, medicine, dyeing, lawsuits, incense-making, sign-making, and iron forging, as well as over 20 old residences. The other is the square area, which also preserves some ancestral halls, village schools, and ponds. Seven longitudinal alleys connect the cross and square districts to seven ancient docks by the river, with staircases ranging from 60 to 80 steps, indicative of the bustling water transport in those days.

Among the well-preserved ancient buildings in the village, the most notable are two old ancestral halls and a village school. The most famous is the Gaoyang Ancestral Hall, the grand ancestral hall of the Xu family, built by General Xu Yuan, a beloved commander of Emperor Taizu of the Ming Dynasty. The hall uses large materials including stone, wood, and brick, and features a majestic design with ingeniously laid-out pavilions and courtyards, exquisitely decorated brackets and caisson ceilings. The screen wall behind the central hall still retains over ten commemorative plaques from the Ming Hongwu to Jiaqing eras honoring Xu ancestors, which are extremely precious. Covering a total area of 1,300 square meters, the Gaoyang Ancestral Hall is a courtyard-style building with two clear ponds at its entrance, offering an elegant environment.

(4) Yongshan Old Street

Yongshan Old Street is located 40 kilometers north of Leping City, in the town center of Yongshan. During the Tang Dynasty, the Wang family migrated here from Wunan in Wuyuan, and the area now has 800 households and over 3,500 residents. The old street lies against mountains and beside water, boasting beautiful scenery. To the north, Jigong Mountain has a Paleolithic cave site, while to the south, Chexi River connects to the clear waters of Wuyuan. Since ancient times, it has been an important overland passage between Leping, Wuyuan, and Fuliang.

The old district features three crisscrossing streets, with the intersection area retaining architectural remains such as shops, residences, bridges, post roads, ancestral halls, and stages. These include the Chongzhen-era Ming Dynasty Wang Family Ancestral Hall Zhaomu Hall, the early Qing Dynasty Wannian Stage, the Daoguang-era Wang Mother’s Chastity Stone Archway, and the Daoguang-era Wang Family Sima Mansion. Among these, the Zhaomu Hall stage is the oldest existing ancient stage in Leping.

(5) Shanglao Village

Shanglao Village is located by Guanzhuangshui in Gaodian Town, 30 kilometers east of Leping City. During the mid-Northern Song Dynasty, the Wu family migrated here from She County, Anhui, and the village now has 110 households and over 620 residents. The village features numerous well-preserved and densely clustered ancient buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties, which is its most distinctive feature.

The ancient residential architecture in Shanglao Village boasts high artistic value. For example, the gate tower of the grand ancestral hall “Yinggong Ancestral Hall” is constructed with a refined combination of brick, wood, and stone, exhibiting extraordinary elegance and grandeur. It is a typical representative of the Jiangnan “four waters converging into a hall” style, locally known in Leping as the “hokutodome” style. Additionally, over ten other ancestral halls and residences in the village are also considered masterpieces of construction, earning high praise from experts and professors from Tsinghua and Tongji Universities who have conducted research here.

(6) Xuxia Village

Xuxia Village is located 20 kilometers northwest of Leping City, under the jurisdiction of Taqian Town, and borders Jingdezhen City and Fuliang County. In the early Song Dynasty, the Xu family migrated here from Nanchang, and the village now has 460 households and over 1,700 residents. Nestled against rolling green mountains and fronted by the clear waters of ??xi Creek, the village is connected to Ludan Street by three early Qing Dynasty three-arch stone bridges, leading directly to Jingdezhen and Fuliang.

The village preserves over 20 ancient buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties, among which the wooden-framed “Shike” Memorial Archway from the early Ming Dynasty and the mid-Qing Dynasty rebuilt “Renshou Tower” bestowed by Emperor Gaozong of Song are the most striking. These structures were built to commemorate Xu Heng, a literary jinshi and martial arts top scholar, as well as the son-in-law of Emperor Huizong of Northern Song from Xuxia Village. Hence, some scholars have dubbed the village “the First Royal Son-in-Law Village of Jiangnan.”

(7) Duanjia Village

Duanjia Village is 5 kilometers north of Hongyan Town. In the early Ming Dynasty, the Duan family migrated here from Duchang, and the village now has 340 households and over 1,600 residents. With picturesque scenery and backed by Liju Mountain, the village is surrounded by Guanzhuangshui. It served as an important overland route for Leping and Dexing into Huizhou. The stone-paved path stretches for miles with deep ruts, and remnants of street shops, residences, workshops, arch bridges, and steles abound. Unfortunately, 17 stone archways that once stood at the ancient bridgehead at the village exit along this old post road have collapsed or been demolished.

The village preserves over 20 well-maintained Ming and Qing residential and shop buildings, among which a Ming Dynasty gable-wall-style residence stands out for its distinctive features. In addition to being covered in gold leaf, its decor is extremely exquisite. The ceiling of the main hall features a central round caisson, flanked by two square caissons, with faux floors providing light through the courtyard, and the interior ceiling also decorated with wooden arched vaults. Inside the house, not a single tile can be seen, yet it remains resplendent and magnificent despite centuries of weathering.

(8) Hanjia Village

Hanjia Village is located 5 kilometers downstream along the west bank of the Le’an River from Mingkou Town, situated on a northern hill. The Han family migrated here via Huizhou from Henan over 1,100 years ago, and the village now has over 550 residents. Historically abundant in produce, with thriving animal husbandry and developed water transport, ancient villagers mostly made a living by transporting live pigs to Huizhou. The village preserves ancestral halls, residences, stages, wells, docks, alleys, shops, and workshops. A high terrace to the north of the village is a cultural site from the Neolithic Age to the Shang and Zhou dynasties, as well as a cluster of Han Dynasty tombs.

Among the over 10 well-preserved residences, one mansion with a guesthouse features an exquisitely crafted wooden door hood. The guesthouse’s porch ceiling contains several intricately designed caissons. The entire residence masterfully integrates the essence of Rao and Huizhou folk architecture, leaving visitors in awe. The ancient stage in Hanjia Village is also remarkable, noted for its luxurious decoration and gold-plated details, making it a quintessential example of late Qing and early Republican stages in Leping.

(9) Shanghe Village

Shanghe Village is located 3.5 kilometers northeast of Tianli Caijia in Shuangtian Town, on both sides of a small stream in the flatlands. It has over 400 households and 2,000 residents. During the Song Dynasty’s Qiandao era, the He family migrated here from Huangbaiqiao and founded the village. Originally, an old willow tree spanned the stream as a bridge, and the place was called Liubridge Hejia. Because it was located above the Hejia section, it was also called Shanghe, later evolving into its current name.

Shanghe Village is nestled against mountains and beside water, boasting an elegant environment. The Shanghe Stream flows from north to south through the village year-round, and over ten residential buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties still remain on the village's eastern side. Among them are two old ancestral halls, one old theater stage, and no fewer than ten old residences with courtyards. On December 1, 2006, Dr. Tan Gangyi, Deputy Director of the Architecture Department at the School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, along with a team of four, conducted a day-long, in-depth investigation of the village and spoke highly of its architectural and cultural value.

(10) Qide Village

Qide Village is located in a small valley basin about 10 kilometers north of Tianli Caijia in Shuangtian Town. A stream runs across the village. It currently has over 900 households and a population of more than 3,600. During the Later Tang Dynasty, the Yu family migrated here from Suicheng in Muzhou (now Suichang County, Zhejiang). By the time of Emperor Gaozong of the Song Dynasty during the Shaoxing era, Yu Tong, a villager, passed the imperial examination and, due to his continued virtue and respected status, was honored by the emperor. Emperor Gaozong of Song thus named the village "Qide" (Village of Esteemed Virtue). Yu Huoguang, a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations during the Ming Jiajing era, was also from this village.

Qide Village is not only one of the ancient villages in Leping City but also one of the larger villages in northern Leping. The village currently preserves over 30 relics of ancient buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties, including residences, shops, ancestral halls, theater stages, streets, ancient bridges, ancient trees, stone horses, and stone sheep. Among them, the residence of Yu Huoguang from the Ming Dynasty is the most notable. Located in the center of the village, it is a three-bay, three-courtyard side-gate style residence with two courtyards, representing a typical Ming Dynasty residential architecture. Its structure is solid, and its decoration is simple yet refined. The village historically had five theater stages, but only three remain today.

(11) Henglu Village

Henglu Village is located in Shuangtian Town, 20 kilometers from downtown Leping and 8 kilometers from Tianli Caijia. Historical records indicate that the Ye family migrated here from Meilin Yeh River Village in She County, Huizhou, during the sixth year of the Qianfu era of the Tang Dynasty (879 AD), initially naming the place Hengxi. Later, due to its location on the "Rao-Hui thoroughfare," it was renamed Henglu during the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty. For over a thousand years, Henglu has been continuously inhabited by the Ye family. It now has over 1,700 households and a population of more than 7,200, making it the second-largest village in Leping City.

The village features crisscrossing lanes and roads, with abundant relics of Ming and Qing architecture, including nearly 40 ancient residences, street shops, ancestral halls, theater stages, and stone bridges. Among them, the Ye Family Ancestral Hall, the branch ancestral hall theater stages of the First, Fourth, and Ninth Branches, and a Wannian Stage (Long-lasting Stage) are relatively well-preserved. Unfortunately, the "Jianjinxuan" study hall built during the Qing Qianlong era and the "Raofu Temple" were destroyed by war during the Xianfeng era of the Qing Dynasty.

(12) Shitan Village

Shitan Village is located by the Yongshan River at the foot of Jiagu Mountain, 3 kilometers southeast of Yongshan Town. At the end of the Tang Dynasty, the Zhu family migrated here from Qimen in Anhui to establish the village. There is a deep pond beneath the stone mountain to the north of the village, hence the name. According to records, most of the Zhu families in Leping originated from this village, such as those in Kuiqian, Chexi, and Shaotian.

The village currently preserves over ten buildings from the Ming and Qing periods, among which a single-arch stone bridge, rebuilt in the 28th year of the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty according to its original design and restored in the 25th year of the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty, is the best preserved. According to the stone tablet placed at the head of the bridge, it was built during the Song-Yuan transition and served as a vital route between Leping, Wuyuan, and Fuliang. Additionally, the "Sanxing Yicheng" old ancestral hall theater stage in the village is also relatively well-maintained.

(13) Chexi Village

Chexi Village is located 4 kilometers southeast of Yongshan Town. It lies 2 kilometers upstream from the picturesque Cuiping Lake and 4.5 kilometers downstream from the ancient Paleolithic cave site of Yongshan. The area features beautiful mountains and clear waters, fertile land, and sweet springs. During the Hongxi era of the Ming Dynasty, the Zhu family migrated here from nearby Kuiqian Village to establish the settlement, which now has over 200 households and a population of about 1,100.

The village currently preserves over 30 relics of Ming and Qing architecture, among which the Dunben Hall holds the greatest significance. Not only is Dunben Hall renowned for its grand scale and complex layout, but its theater stage is also particularly magnificent and imposing, representing a classic example of ancestral hall theater stages from the ancient Rao and Huizhou regions. In addition, over ten old residences with courtyard layouts, ancient roads, shops, and structures such as the flat stone bridge and corridor bridge by the village are also well-preserved.

(14) Shixia Village

Shixia Village is located at the mouth of a valley at the northern foot of Shishan Mountain, 6 kilometers southwest of Yongshan Town. In the early Song Dynasty, the Wang family migrated here from Huangsha in Wuyuan to establish the village. It currently has over 160 households and a population of about 860. The village enjoys an elegant geographical setting, surrounded by green trees and crisscrossed by streams. To date, the village still preserves over ten ancient buildings, among which an early Qing Dynasty ancestral hall is particularly prominent. The features of this ancestral hall include: first, its facade adopts a two-story pavilion-style design, which is unique in the county; second, its floor area exceeds 2,000 square meters; and third, its side walls are designed in a "lazy dragon stretching" style, stretching over 50 meters in length. Additionally, another old ancestral hall and theater stage in the village are also relatively well-preserved.

(15) Dai Village

Dai Village is located by the La'an River, 49 kilometers from downtown Leping, under the jurisdiction of Mingkou Town. It is the largest natural village at the border of Leping and Dexing counties. Nestled against mountains and beside water, the land here is fertile and has long been known as a land of fish and rice. It currently has over 650 households and a population of about 3,300. In the second year of the Han Xingping era (195 AD), the seat of Leping County was moved to Dai Village. During the Xiangfu era of the Song Dynasty, the Dai family migrated here from Huangyuan in Leling. Dai Ru, a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations during the Ming Jiajing era and an imperial censor of the Censorate, as well as Dai Liangmo, a former mathematics professor at the former Huazhong Institute of Technology, were both from Dai Village. The village is rich in cultural relics. According to the "Jiaoguo Dai Clan Genealogy and Site Map" from the 11th year of the Xianfeng era of the Qing Dynasty (1861), it depicts ancient county government buildings such as the City God Temple, Jingzhao Archway, Drum Tower, and Official Granary, which correspond to the remaining ruins today. Currently, two well-preserved old ancestral halls, two old theater stages, and over ten courtyard-style old residences remain.

(16) Liufang Village

Liufang Village is located on the southern bank of the La'an River, 4 kilometers west of Mingkou Town. It currently has over 2,000 households and a population of about 9,000, making it the largest natural village in Leping and one of the largest in East China. During the Tang Tianyou era, the Liu family migrated here from Xinpi in Yiyang to establish the settlement, initially called Liufang, later renamed Liufang to signify enduring legacy.

The village has over 20 crisscrossing lanes, seven of which run vertically toward the dock. Currently, over a hundred relics remain, including ancient ancestral halls, residences, docks, shops, workshops, stele pavilions, and theater stages. Among them, the Wenji Public Ancestral Hall, Wenzong Public Ancestral Hall, No. 362 Ancestral Hall, and No. 359 Old Residence are relatively well-preserved.

(17) Xiaokeng Village

Xiaokeng Village is located in a valley 46 kilometers northeast of the county seat, within the territory of Hongyan Town. It currently has over 200 households and a population of about 1,000. At the end of the Tang Dynasty, the Hu family migrated here from Qinghua Street in Wuyuan to establish the village. Xiaokeng was originally named Qingxi Village, with a clear stream flowing through it. The stream has a significant drop in elevation, and at its lower end lies a pool full of clear water called Jixing Pool, which is said to be over a thousand years old. Hu Qiaozhi, a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations during the Qing Qianlong era, was from this village.

The village is the first settlement encountered when entering Leping from Wuyuan. It currently preserves a wealth of Ming and Qing architecture, including residences, ancestral halls, theater stages, official roads, bridge pavilions, shops, notable trees, stone tablets, and stone lions. Among them, five courtyard-style residences are remarkably well-preserved.