Xiàfǎshān Village

Xiàfǎshān Village

Xiàfǎshān Village

According to the *Genealogy of the Wang Family*, Xiàfǎshān Village was established during the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty by the Wang family and was originally called Xiàshuāgān. In 1953, it was renamed Xiàfǎshān. The village is home to three major surnames: Wang, Mù, and Li. The ancient buildings in the village were constructed by villagers using locally sourced stones and thatched roofs. Since most of the local stones are "yellow stones," the houses have a unique light yellow hue. There are over 200 ancient houses, three ancient wells with pulleys, four ancient millstones, and four ancient steles from the Kangxi and Qianlong eras. There are also six different styles of horse-tying stones. An ancient commercial route from the Ming and Qing dynasties runs through the center of the village. The presence of both the "Auspicious Star Shining Bright" and "Mount Tai Stone Tiger" talismans in the same village reflects the harmonious blend of Qi-Lu culture. Beside the main street in the village, there are two ancient locust trees, one large and one small, commonly referred to as the "Father and Son Locust Trees." Behind the village, the Flagpole Peak and ancient stone fortress have long-standing legends, while the Red Leaf Valley in front of the village boasts beautiful scenery. The mineral water in the village contains 53 types of minerals, making it among the highest quality in China.

Ancient Well

Legend has it that the founding ancestors of the village settled here because of a clear spring. As the population grew, villagers dug the spring and built a well to store the water. To make it easier for villagers to fetch water, a wooden pulley was installed. When the wooden pulley wore out, it was replaced with an iron one. The well has a circular shaft with a diameter of 80 centimeters, a square mouth, and a depth of over 10 meters. The water is cool and refreshing. The ancient well is like a tender mother, nourishing generations of villagers in Xiàfǎshān with its sweet "milk."

Horse-Tying Stones

Horse-tying stones come in a variety of shapes and are unique folk stone carvings in northern China. These stones served the practical purpose of tethering livestock such as cattle, horses, and donkeys, while also acting as decorative elements—showy ornaments at the entrance that signified prosperity. They can be likened to the "ornamental pillars" of rural households. When building their homes, villagers would embed horse-tying stones into the stone walls facing the road, providing a convenient place for merchants to tether their "horses" and rest. This practice demonstrated the hospitality and kindness of the homeowners. Though now weathered and worn, the smooth inner edges of the stones reflect the bustling scenes of people and lively horses of the past, chronicling the village's long history and rich culture. The horse-tying stones are a memory of the village and its families. Elders say, "Touch the horse-tying stone, and you’ll be free from misfortune all year."

Ancient Screen Wall

The ancient screen wall was built during the Jiaqing era of the Qing Dynasty, using the locally unique "Eighteen-Layer Stone." At its center is a large Chinese character "福" (fu, meaning "blessing" or "fortune"), surrounded by four bats, together forming the "Five Blessings." It symbolizes "the Five Blessings descending upon the home." The central "福" character represents "virtue," embodying benevolence, kindness, and generosity—the highest form of fortune, as virtue is the root of fortune, and fortune is the fruit of virtue. By practicing charity and accumulating hidden merits, one can cultivate the other four blessings (longevity, wealth, health, and a peaceful death). The stone frame around the ancient screen wall features an engraved couplet: the upper line reads "The gate faces green mountains, eternal in beauty," the lower line reads "The home borders clear waters, pure for generations," and the horizontal inscription is "Farming and Scholarship for Generations."

Mount Tai Stone Tiger

Locals believe that having a house face a road or the edge of a roof can bring bad luck. To counteract this, a stone slab inscribed with either "Auspicious Star Shining Bright" or "Mount Tai Stone Tiger" is installed on the wall of the house facing the road or roof edge to ward off the negative energy. Using "Auspicious Star Shining Bright" to dispel misfortune is a custom from the Qi State north of the Qi Great Wall, while using "Mount Tai Stone Tiger" is part of the Lu State culture. During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, this village was the northernmost frontier settlement of the Lu State. The cultures of the Qi and Lu states collided and blended here, giving rise to the unique local culture that combines elements of both.

Rounded Corners

Rounded corners are a unique architectural feature of the area. When village streets turn, the lower two meters of the wall corners are smoothed off, as if carved away with a knife or axe—hence the term "rounded corners." The protruding stone slabs at the top and bottom of the rounded section, however, retain their right angles. Locals refer to this as "yielding neither to the sky above nor the earth below, but making way for harmony in between." This design maximizes convenience for passersby and makes the most of available space, reflecting the local values of mutual respect, courtesy, and harmonious coexistence. So far, over 50 instances of "rounded corners" have been discovered across the "Five Villages in a Line," with as many as 18 found in Woyunpu Village alone.

Father and Son Locust Trees

The Father and Son Locust Trees are two ancient locust trees, with the larger one estimated to be around 1,000 years old and the smaller one about 500 years old. The smaller tree grew from the roots of the larger one, hence the name "Father and Son Locust Trees." The top of the younger tree has died, but its surroundings are lush with branches and leaves, symbolizing "prosperity without limits." The older tree, also known as the "Official Locust Tree," was planted by ancient authorities along official roads every five *li* (approximately 2.5 kilometers) to mark distances and assist travelers. The Father Locust Tree and the ancient locust tree in Shàngfǎshān Village are exactly five *li* apart.

Ancient Official Road – Official House

It is said that the ancient official road was an important trade route between the Qi and Lu states during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. After the Qin Dynasty unified the six states, it became both an official and commercial route. Until the liberation, this trade route remained a vital path for transporting Zibo ceramics to the western Zibo region. The official house served as a resting place for government couriers and later became a "hotel" for traveling merchants. Xiàfǎshān Village currently has four ancient stone steles, recording the renovation of the Dragon King Temple, Guanyin Hall, Nine Saints Hall, and the establishment of the White Robe Hall. The earliest stele was erected during the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty, and the latest during the Xianfeng era. These steles are now buried within the official house.

Door Facing the Mountain

"Door Facing the Mountain" is a unique local residential architectural style, also known as "one house, two courtyards." At the entrance of the house, a mountain wall directly faces the doorway, dividing the originally unified courtyard into left and right sections—hence the name "door facing the mountain, one house, two courtyards." This distinctive architectural style embodies the villagers' aspirations for a better life, symbolizing that "a door facing the mountain brings both scholars and officials."

Mu Leyi’s Ancient House

Mu Leyi, born in 1896, was a renowned patriotic businessman. In his youth, he traded in fur and pepper products. Thanks to his business acumen, he became wealthy and owned shops in Qingdao, Jinan, Shanghai, and Tianjin. During the War of Resistance against Japan, he donated his entire fortune to support the war effort. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, he funded efforts to combat soil erosion, afforest barren mountains, and support national development. This ancient house was Mu Leyi’s former residence, built in the 15th year of the Republic of China (1926). Constructed using locally sourced stones and bricks, it was built against the mountain and consists of two stories, with both inner and outer courtyards.