Jiuxu Jiangtou Ancient Village

Jiuxu Jiangtou Ancient Village

Jiuxu Village in Jiuxu Town, Lingchuan County, Guilin City, is an ancient settlement with a long history and profound cultural heritage, and is recognized as the most tourism-worthy ancient village in China.

Jiangtouzhou Ancient Village is located 32 kilometers north of Guilin in Lingchuan County, Jiuxu Town, about half a kilometer from Jiuxu Street. It sits on the western bank of Hulong River, an upper tributary of the Li River’s Ganjiang River branch, and has a history of over 1,000 years. The village currently has 180 households and a population of around 800. There are more than 180 residential buildings with over 620 rooms, most of which are brick-and-tile structures, with over 60% dating back to the Ming and Qing dynasties. The site preserves well-maintained architecture from the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. The entire village features gray-tiled houses with blue bricks, wooden frameworks, and layered eaves, all exuding a simple and elegant charm. To this day, the village still retains over 200 plaques with family crests and imperial commendations. Visitors can also see unique Qing Dynasty structures such as the “Maidens’ Tower,” “Young Masters’ Beds,” “Scholars’ Street,” and “Juren (Imperial Examination Successful Candidates) Alley,” as well as the “Labyrinth” alleys built by villagers during the Ming Dynasty to defend against enemy attacks.

The village is the ancestral home of descendants of Zhou Dunyi, a renowned literary figure, philosopher, and founder of Neo-Confucianism in the Northern Song Dynasty of China. With its unique “Imperial Examination and Official Culture” and “Jiangtouzhou Lotus Love Culture,” along with its rich cultural heritage, glorious historical legacy, and beautiful natural scenery, it enjoys several superlative titles among ancient villages in Guangxi: “First in Number of Historical and Cultural Relics,” “First in Residential Architectural Craftsmanship,” “First in Variety of Carved Patterns,” “First in Number of Historical Figures,” “First in Generational Official Tenure in the Same Rank,” and “First in Number of Upright Officials.” It is known as the “Chinese Imperial Examination and Official Culture Village,” “Village of Talents,” “Village of Upright Officials,” “Chinese Historical Figure Zhou Dunyi’s Lotus Love Culture Village,” and “China’s Unique Jiangtouzhou Lotus Love Culture Village.” In September 2005, it was awarded the title of “China’s Most Tourism-Worthy Ancient Village” at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. In May 2006, it was designated as a “National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit” by the State Council. In June of the same year, the “Jiangtouzhou Lotus Love Culture” was included in the first batch of Guangxi’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list, and in January 2007, it was named one of “China’s Charming Scenic Spots.”