Dajiang Village, Jingxing

Dajiang Village, Jingxing

Dajiang is situated in the western part of Nan Zhangcheng Town, Jingxing County. The village features well-preserved ancient dwellings from the Ming and Qing dynasties, making it a complete ancient mountain settlement. Its streets and alleys are all paved with bluestone and pebbles, arranged at different elevations and interwoven in all directions. Stone mills, steles, and carvings are commonly found around the village, and stone drainage tunnels run throughout. With 314 courtyards and over 4,000 rooms in total, the village combines the architectural characteristics of both Beijing-style siheyuan (courtyards) and Shanxi residences. The buildings are constructed along the mountain terrain, creating a layered and quaint appearance full of historical weight.

The houses are primarily built with stone, supplemented by brick and wood. Some are rugged and bold, exuding a simple rural charm, while others are exquisitely carved with painted beams and decorated rafters, displaying an air of prosperity. The most representative is the "Wuju Ren Courtyard," which covers two acres and has about a hundred rooms. This residence consists of nine interconnected yet independent courtyards, commonly referred to as the "One Compound, Nine Courtyards." The entire complex is grand and imposing, making it the most luxurious siheyuan cluster in Dajiang Village.

Dajiang was not originally called by this name. During the Ming Dynasty, the slopes on both sides of this mountain valley, which connected Shanxi and Hebei, were covered with lush vegetation, especially peach trees. In autumn, the hills were laden with sweet and fragrant wild peaches, and thus the valley came to be known as "Sweet Peach Valley." According to the Pingding Prefecture Records, Northern Song Dynasty statesman Han Qi wrote while traveling through the Taihang Mountains, "Peach blossoms cover the hills, blooming freely even without visitors." Some believe this poem refers to the dazzling and untamed beauty of the peach blossoms in Sweet Peach Valley. During the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty, ancestors of the Liang family migrated here from Xicun Village, Pingding County, Shanxi, and the village gradually came to be known as "Dajiang." Today, the once-abundant wild peach trees have disappeared, replaced by trees such as prickly ash, walnut, and persimmon.

Location: Dajiang Village, Nan Zhangcheng Town, Jingxing County, Shijiazhuang City, Hebei Province

Transportation by bus: Take a bus from Jingxing County to Nan Zhangcheng Town, then transfer to a minibus to Dajiang Village.

Self-driving route: Starting from the intersection of Xinhua Road and West Second Ring Road in Shijiazhuang, follow Shihuo Road westward, enter Longquan Road and continue west, get on the Beijing-Kunming Expressway and then transition to the Qingdao-Yinchuan Expressway section. Drive straight for approximately 41 kilometers, exit at Niangziguan/G307, first follow G307 and then turn onto X061, drive about 7 kilometers to reach Dajiang Village.