Hongguan Village

Hongguan Village

Hongguan Ancient Village was built during the Southern Song Dynasty and is known as “the unparalleled key stronghold between Wu and Chu, and the first pass on the ancient Huizhou-Shangrao Road.” By the stream at the entrance of the village stands an ancient camphor tree over 1,000 years old, 26.1 meters tall, 3.4 meters in diameter, with a crown covering three acres—an extraordinary sight. As the saying goes, “Its mighty roots reach the abyss below, while its branches sway through the clouds above,” and it is hailed as the “Number One Camphor Tree of the South.”

Hongguan Village is located at the southern foot of Gaohu Mountain, the second highest peak in Wuyuan. Nestled against green mountains and facing a clear stream, the entire village is embedded within a landscape of picturesque peaks and pristine rivers, achieving a harmonious and poetic integration of architecture with nature.

Hongguan Village, situated 50 kilometers north of Wuyuan County in Zhejiang Township, was a nationally renowned production center for “Huizhou Ink” during the Ming and Qing dynasties. To this day, the residences of many famous ink makers remain well preserved. By the stream in this millennium-old village stands the ancient Hongguan Camphor Tree, over 1,000 years old, with a trunk diameter of 3.4 meters, a height of about 26.1 meters, and a crown covering approximately three acres, earning it the title “Number One Camphor Tree of the South.” There are varying opinions about the tree’s age, but it is generally believed to be around a thousand years old. Beside the ancient camphor stands an old post pavilion with a faded couplet: “Ask how many years? Say Tang or Song—the ancient camphor knows. Trace back events—debate glory or shame—the Zhe River flows on,” which may offer some insight.

At the foot of the ancient camphor tree, an old stone-paved post road winds its way into the distance.

Hongguan Village was established during the Jianyan era of the Southern Song Dynasty (1127–1130) by the Zhan family. When the founders settled here, they “looked up to see auspicious purple energy gathering at the village site,” hence naming it “Hongguan” (Rainbow Pass), also called “Hongrui Pass” or “Hongrui Villa.” During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Hongguan was one of the major producers of Huizhou Ink. The Qing-era book *Famous Inks Discussed* noted, “There were over a hundred ink workshops in Wuyuan, and just the Zhan family in Hongguan had more than 80, far surpassing those in She County and Xiuning, forming a major school of Huizhou Ink.” Many village streets were named after the ink industry, giving Hongguan the reputation of “the Famous Ink Village.” From the Ming Hongwu era to the Qing Qianlong era, spanning 400 years, the village produced many high-ranking officials, such as father and son Zhan Tong and Zhan Hui, who both served as Ministers of Personnel during the early Ming Dynasty. Zhan Yingjia, a scholar selected by imperial decree during Emperor Qianlong’s southern inspection tour, was promoted from Tongpan of Yichang Prefecture to Prefect of a Direct-Controlled Prefecture during the Jiaqing era, and Lin Zexu later wrote his epitaph. The village produced over ten literati who left behind more than 30 enduring literary works.

Hongguan Village was established during the Jianyan era of the Southern Song Dynasty, “looking up to see auspicious purple energy gathering at the village site,” hence named Hongguan, also called Hongrui Pass. Hongguan embodies the spirit of heaven and earth and is a model of ancient Huizhou villages. The ancestors of Hongguan chose the site based on traditional Chinese architectural culture and feng shui principles, following the “Four Creatures” layout: “Azure Dragon to the left, White Tiger to the right, Vermilion Bird in front, and Black Tortoise behind.” The village is backed by mountains and faces water, oriented 5°–6° east of due south, facing south. The Azure Dragon to the left coils protectively around the village, while the White Tiger to the right lies gently like a crouching tiger on the western hills. The Vermilion Bird to the south is a flat mountain offering a vast, open view. The Zhejiang Stream (Hongxi) flows from east to west around the village, providing convenient water for daily life and enhancing the living environment in harmony with nature. Behind the village to the north is the Black Tortoise, referred to locally as the “Dragon Ridge,” with ridges stretching for dozens of miles from Wulong Mountain, gently powerful through Shuangfeng, and culminating in Dalongnaoke, then undulating naturally before coming to rest—creating a commanding presence, known as the “Black Tortoise Bowing Its Head.” A dragon’s energy rises with its length: a dragon of ten li brings qi a zhang high; a dragon of a hundred li, ten zhang high. With upright qi, the vein falls rightly and the site is proper. The dragon’s energy in Hongguan gathers positively at the “Hall of the Jade Hall Immortal Official” and all residential plots, ensuring the village’s lasting prosperity. The villagers understand how to preserve qi and protect the dragon veins, maintaining several historical protective steles. Ecological preservation extends from Shuangfeng to the “Dragon Ridge” behind the village, where lush forests thrive, enhancing the ridge’s majesty and beauty. Hongguan’s landscapes and dragon veins are nature’s gifts to its people. The feng shui principle of harmony between heaven, earth, and humanity is especially prominent here, and the villagers respect nature, protect ecology, and cherish their ideal living environment. Experts from Jiangxi Normal University’s Geography Department, after surveying Hongguan, praised the Dragon Ridge: “The vein arrives naturally, qi is upright and majestic, harmonizing heaven, earth, and humanity, ensuring lasting prosperity.”

Scenic Spots in Hongguan Village:

Tongjin Bridge

— Tongjin Bridge is a single-arch stone bridge, 16 meters long and 4 meters wide, resembling a rainbow spanning the river. The bridge is flanked by stone railings on both sides and at the steps, forming a perfectly structured landmark. Built in the mid-Southern Song Dynasty, it has been repaired through the ages. According to the *Genealogy of the Zhan Clan of Hongguan*, its current form was reconstructed during the Qing Tongzhi era (1862–1874) with funding from villager Zhan Yuanji. The keystone stones on both sides bear seal carvings: “Tongjin” (River Crossing) faces outward, while “Yixiu” (Admire Beauty) faces the village. “Jin” historically meant “ferry crossing,” implying that this bridge leads to distant lands; “Yi” means “to scoop or lift,” suggesting that standing on the bridge immerses you in a beautiful painting. An ancient poem composed here reads: “Mist and clouds descend from the mountaintop all around, a stream bends beneath the slanting evening sun.”

Huizhou-Shangrao Ancient Road

— Hongguan features the famous Huizhou-Shangrao Ancient Post Road, entirely paved with bluestone slabs, winding along green mountains, clear waters, and villages, forming a stunning landscape. Along the route is the “Carp Leaping Over the Dragon Gate” scenery. During the Qing Qianlong era, Huizhou ink master Zhan Fanghuan created “Dragon Gate Ink” themed around this scene, with “Dragon Gate” inscribed in gold on the front and a carp-leaping design on the back. Thanks to the ink’s quality and auspicious symbolism, Dragon Gate Ink once sold well nationwide. On many stone steps of the ancient road, wheel ruts bear witness to its bustling history.

Yongji Tea House

— In ancient Wuyuan, teahouses and rest stops were commonly built along roadsides for weary travelers, free of charge, reflecting the region’s simple hospitality. Hongguan’s Yongji Tea House, built astride the road, is in the Ming architectural style. Over time, villagers voluntarily contributed funds for repairs whenever needed. The tea house’s brick plaque bears the bold, elegant inscription “White Waves Immerse the Sky,” while the stone plaque on the other side reads “Green Shade Among Trees.” The couplet reads: “Ask how many years? Say Tang or Song—the ancient camphor knows. Trace back events—debate glory or shame—the Zhe River flows on,” referring to the ancient camphor opposite the tea house.

Hongguan Ancient Camphor

— The famed Hongguan Ancient Camphor stands independently by the village’s riverside, over 1,000 years old, 26 meters tall, 3.4 meters in diameter, with a crown covering three acres. Ancient poems praise its “mighty roots reaching the abyss below, while its branches sway through the clouds above,” and it is hailed as the “Number One Camphor Tree of the South.” During the Republican era, villager Zhan Peixian compiled over 50 ancient poems and essays about the tree into the *Collection of Poems on the Ancient Camphor*, a rare publication dedicated to a single tree. Nearby are also the “Graceful Camphor” and “Blooming Camphor,” their names expressing hopes for future generations.

Lüde Hall

— Lüde Hall was built in the early Qing Dynasty. According to *China’s Four Treasures of the Study*, the hall’s name reflects “a profound dialectical philosophy on gain and loss.” Its architecture resembles other traditional Huizhou residences, but its unique feature is its all-stone gatehouse and courtyard structure. Surrounded by corridors, it features a large central courtyard paved with bluestone, housing a fish tank for ornamental fish and rockeries for miniature landscapes, creating a small natural world. The beams, brackets, and doors are carved with landscapes and figures, while the hall displays a gilded plaque, exuding elegance. Its brick and wood carvings use openwork, round carving, and relief techniques, with up to seven layers of depth, creating strong three-dimensionality.

Liugeng Hall

— Liugeng Hall is a Ming Dynasty building. Aside from its relatively simple carvings on the gate tower, beams, and lattice windows, it features a curved stone trough pit beside the courtyard, locally called a “Mingtang Pit,” serving as a drainage system—a hallmark of Ming architecture. By the Qing Dynasty, courtyards were typically paved with bluestone, with small holes resembling money eyes for drainage. The hall is named “Liugeng” (Preserve Cultivation) after an ancestral maxim: “Books are eternal assets, passed down for generations in abundance; the heart is fertile land, cultivated endlessly in a lifetime.” A connecting corridor between two buildings, called a “street-crossing corridor,” allowed upper-floor access without going outside, unifying the village’s structures—a remnant of ancient defensive village design.

Home of the Long Man

— The Home of the Long Man is a Ming Dynasty building named “Yuying Hall.” It is the birthplace of the world’s tallest man, Zhan Shicha (nickname: Zhan Wujiu), hence called the “Home of the Long Man.” According to the *Wuyuan County Annals*, during the Daoguang era (1821–1850), there was a “family of giants” in Hongguan. The father, Zhan Zhenzhong, stood eight chi (approximately 2.48 meters) tall; his second son, Zhan Zhong, also reached eight chi. The fourth son, Zhan Shicha, measured an astonishing ten chi three cun (approximately 3.19 meters)—0.88 meters taller than the then-recorded tallest man, Sandy Allen of the United States. While working at Yuying Hall Ink Factory in Shanghai, Zhan Shicha was recruited by Americans for a high salary, later naturalized as British, married a British woman, and is detailed in *Night Rain Autumn Lamp Record*, *Startling Tales*, and *Tales to Astonish*. The Wuyuan Museum also preserves a pair of his cloud shoes.

Suggested Visit Duration

2 hours

Location

Zhejiang Township, Wuyuan County

Hongguan Village: Located in Zhejiang Township, northern Wuyuan, northeastern Jiangxi, 43 kilometers from the county seat, Hongguan has 830 households, a population of 3,000, 15 natural villages, 2,810 mu of paddy fields, 1,120 mu of tea plantations, 2,890 mu of forest, and an 87% forest coverage rate. Established during the Jianyan era of the Southern Song Dynasty by the Zhan family’s relocation, it lies on the ancient route from Raozhou to Huizhou. As the founding settlers “looked up to see auspicious purple energy gathering at the village site,” it was named “Hongguan,” also called “Hongrui Pass.” The village sits on Zhe Ridge, the ancient border between the states of Wu and Chu during the Spring and Autumn period... More details about Hongguan Village++