Chongmudang Village

Chongmudang Village

Chongmudang Village is located in the northeast of Huxingshan Yao Ethnic Township, Longhui County, Hunan Province, in a high-altitude cold mountainous area over 1,300 meters above sea level. With an average annual temperature of 11°C, the village covers a total area of 11,215 mu and has a population of 855, including 688 ethnic Yao people. It is home to the Huayao, a branch of the Yao ethnic group that has been overlooked in China’s ethnic records, and also serves as a well-preserved settlement where the Huayao’s original ecological living environment and folk culture remain intact.

Known as the “Green Valley of Colorful Huayao,” Chongmudang Village is a mystical mountain settlement where ancient trees are revered as sacred. The village features a unique layout that combines ancient woodlands, terraced fields, and traditional houses. Towering white oak forests, rugged rock formations on the Songge (Singing) Hill, widespread wild honeysuckle on the hillsides, bamboo aqueducts channeling spring water into homes, and colorfully dressed local women working in the fields all contribute to a scene that is “like a paradise apart.” In 2006, it was ranked among the top 15 “Charming Villages in China,” in 2012 it was shortlisted as one of the first batch of China’s Traditional Villages, in 2013 it was included in the list of Hunan Province’s Historic and Cultural Villages, and in 2014 it was named one of “Hunan’s Most Beautiful Ethnic Minority Characteristic Villages.” The ancient and unique ethnic customs of the Huayao, along with their special festivals, are preserved and showcased here. The village’s traditional cross-stitch embroidery craftsmanship and vibrant costume culture are unique in China and even the world, with two national-level, two provincial-level, and one municipal-level intangible cultural heritage protection items.