Hewan Mountain Village

Hewan Mountain Village

Hewan Mountain Village, located in Houxi Town, Youyang County, Chongqing, is hailed as the most beautiful Tujia ethnic mountain village in China. It earned its name from the meandering flow of the You River, the mother river of the Tujia people, within its boundaries. Covering an area of 15.5 square kilometers, it is a gathering place for ethnic minority tribes, primarily the Tujia and Miao peoples.

Hewan Mountain Village was built in 1370, the third year of the Hongwu reign during the Ming Dynasty. The village is built against the mountains and beside the water, featuring a terraced layout with distinct levels and a well-arranged, staggered structure. Ancient trees tower over the village, and lush green bamboo abounds. The village architecture consists of traditional Tujia stilted houses, characterized by their unique winding corridors and horse-head walls. Behind the village lie layered terraced fields, and the natural environment is stunning, earning it the title of the most beautiful Tujia mountain village in China. With a history of over 600 years, the village has more than 150 households and around 600 residents, predominantly surnamed Bai from the Tujia ethnic group.

The terrain of Hewan Ancient Village is mainly composed of low hills. The village enjoys a mild climate with abundant rainfall, and its forest coverage rate reaches 42%. The average elevation is 350 meters. To the north lies Sanyu Mountain, and to the south is Shidi Town in Xiushan. Nestled in the heart of the You River National Wetland Park, the village boasts the picturesque scenery of Ten-Mile Long Pool, a simple and honest local culture, and a rich folkloric atmosphere, making it a top destination for travelers, poets, painters, and photographers.

The stilted houses with winding corridors are built against the mountains in a staggered fashion, standing out prominently amidst the verdant mountains and clear waters. These are the traditional Tujia dwellings—stilted houses, also known as winding corridor houses. A You River boat song goes: “Stone-paved streets, five miles long, fireproof houses and winding corridor towers.” The main structures of the houses are made of wood, with beams and columns connected by mortise and tenon joints without the use of nails. The roofs are covered with blue tiles, featuring upturned eaves and corners, complemented by lattice windows and doors, giving them an elegant and rustic charm.

The wood carvings and stone carvings on the beams, columns, doors, and windows are exquisitely crafted and incredibly refined. For over 600 years, Hewan Mountain Village has endured countless wind and rain, yet some Qing Dynasty buildings remain well-preserved to this day. These include numerous representative Tujia structures such as stilted houses, the brick walls of "fireproof bucket houses," the Shuixiangzi Ancestral Hall, the Peng Family Ancestral Hall, and the most well-preserved Baishou Hall in southeastern Chongqing. Currently, there are 82 wooden structures in the entire village.

The area is home to many ancient ancestral temples and shrines, including the Baishou Hall, Shuixiangzi Ancestral Hall, and Peng Family Ancestral Hall. It also boasts a rich and colorful Tujia culture with unique charm, including the Tujia Baishou Dance, folk songs, mountain songs, bridal lament songs with beautiful and moving lyrics that inspire and uplift, and melodious tunes that linger in the mind. There are also local customs and traditions such as Youming, Huanhua, and Tiaoshen.

The You River is revered as the mother river of the Tujia people. Along its banks, spring brings blooming flowers, summer is lush and verdant, autumn paints the maples in crimson hues, and winter is adorned with sparkling snow. The area is accompanied by the chirping of mountain birds and the buzzing of cicadas, creating an exceptionally pleasant atmosphere. Rows of ancient and sturdy wingnut trees, rows of densely packed stilted houses, melodious and captivating leaf-whistling love songs, and cobblestone paths leading to the tunnels of history all echo the boundless charm of the Tujia people, making it a place where visitors linger and never want to leave. A poem praises it: “Temple fields and forested stone beaches, the clear river flows beneath Mount Sanwu, the sunset at Gao Bei intoxicates the fishermen, and the jade-like ribbon embracing the mountain fills one with joy.”

Specialties and Local Cuisine

Tujia Oil Tea Soup is a type of tea-like beverage snack, fragrant, crispy, smooth, and delicious, refreshing and thirst-quenching. It is a traditional and much-loved delicacy of the Tujia people, hence the saying: “Not drinking oil tea soup makes one feel uneasy,” and “Three big bowls with three meals a day make one strong and vigorous for work.” At the same time, serving oil tea soup is a traditional etiquette of the Tujia people when receiving guests. Whenever distinguished guests arrive, the Tujia people will offer a steaming bowl of oil tea soup as a gesture of hospitality.

Legend has it that oil tea soup was invented by Tujia cowherds playing “house” in the tea fields. They picked up a handful of tea seeds on the mountain, fried them in a clay pot to extract tea oil, then added picked tea leaves to the oil and fried them, mixed with mountain spring water, and added roasted corn they had brought along, enjoying it immensely. Over time, drinking oil tea soup became a habit among the Tujia people. At the same time, Tujia oil tea soup is one of the representative dietary cultural phenomena of the Tujia people in Enshi Prefecture, considered a unique highlight of Chinese tea culture with a long and storied history.

The villagers live a leisurely and contented rural life, rising with the sun and resting at sunset. During the day, they plow the fields and tend crops, while in the early morning and evening, they fish in the river. Every household has fishing boats and nets, and the rich ethnic customs lead people into a life of returning to simplicity and authenticity.

Transportation Information

1. Chongqing – Nanping – Outer Ring Road – Nanchuan – Wulong – Pengshui – Qianjiang – Exit at Youyang West. The entire route above is on the G65 Expressway. Then, exit at Youyang West and take S409 via Mawang – Ganxi – Youchou – to reach Houxi, with a total distance of 440 kilometers.

2. From Houxi Ancient Town to Hewan Mountain Village, there is now a cement road of about 5 kilometers. However, the road is narrow with many turns, so be cautious of oncoming vehicles and pedestrians.

3. Take a boat from Houxi Ancient Town along the You River, enjoy the scenic views along both banks, and leisurely cruise to Hewan Mountain Village. This is the best option. Renting a small boat from the Tujia people costs 30 yuan per boat, with each boat accommodating 4–8 people.