Shiwai Luoyi

Shiwai Luoyi

Located southwest of Jiuzhaigou County, at the junction of the Sichuan Baihe Nature Reserve and the Sichuan Wujiao Nature Reserve, it covers an area of 62.5 km² with an elevation of 1,600–2,000 meters. The terrain is concave, often referred to as a mountain "small basin." Different areas have different natural environments, and the traditional aesthetic concepts, architectural forms, and village appearances vary, each retaining its own unique characteristics.

“Beneath snow-capped peaks lies a natural Buddha; from afar one sees the prayer wheel pavilion.” Due to its remote valley location, Luoyi Township has slowly integrated with the outside world, allowing many traditional architectural layouts to be preserved. It serves as a unique treasure trove of traditional architecture in Jiuzhaigou County and stands as a cultural testament to the long-standing integration of Tibetan and Han peoples.

Luoyi Township comprises four villages: Shunhe Village, Luoyiba Village, Heba Village, and Dazhai Village, with a total population of less than 3,000. The ancestors, adhering to the ancient Chinese philosophical concept of “harmony between man and nature,” skillfully utilized natural conditions to build houses on sunny, elevated slopes. They lived by the rhythm of “working at sunrise and resting at sunset,” integrating the villages organically with fertile fields, mountain shapes, and water flows—forming a grand ecological and humanistic environment where mountains, water, farmland, paths, and villages coexist harmoniously. As recorded in *Yangzhai Jicheng* (Compendium of Residential Architecture), “Residences must be sited with care; backed by mountains and facing water pleases the heart. Mountains should have a soaring dragon-like ridge; water must encircle in a ring. A broad courtyard brings fortune; a water outlet that gathers wealth is golden. No obstacles in the inauspicious directions ensure brightness and prosperity for the household.”

Most buildings here are situated against mountains and near water, distributed in terraces. The typical structure is a single-story or two-story earthen-and-wood house with a three-bay, four-room layout. Usually, the central room serves as a living hall, flanked by bedrooms, while corridors on either side of the hall function as kitchens or other utility spaces. The ground floor typically features mud-plastered walls or stone-brick construction, with long wooden beams erected and covered with wooden planks; the second floor uses logs as pillars, with a timber frame supporting a roof tiled with green tiles. White ridges, small green tiles, red eaves, earthen-yellow walls, and carved windows give these homes a distinctive architectural style of northwestern Sichuan. The main gate serves as both a microcosm of the overall building and a symbol of the owner’s status. The entire architectural complex, with its earthen-and-wood structure, hand-painted designs, and exquisitely crafted wooden carvings in various forms, presents a cohesive and prominent style.

According to elders, the formation of this residential architectural style roughly went through three stages. Initially, the people of Luoyi were migrants from other provinces who came to Sichuan as hunters, eventually settling here and living in close-knit communities. The villages date back to the Ming Dynasty, with most existing houses built during the Qing Dynasty. These earthen-and-wood structures, having stood for centuries, are often worn and damaged. By the early 20th century, the region saw a boom in opium cultivation, attracting migrant workers from various places who settled here temporarily. This led to the construction of additional buildings, primarily featuring white ridges, green tiles, red eaves, and earthen-and-wood structures. As households gathered, clusters of villages formed. By the 21st century, as villagers’ lives gradually improved and basic needs were met, modern brick-and-concrete structures began to appear, though traditional customs and culture were still preserved.

Source: Jiuzhaigou County Cultural Tourism Investment and Development Co., Ltd.