Longchuan Scenic Area

　　Longchuan was the ancient name of Kengkou Village. In front of the village lies Longxu Mountain, and a small stream (referred to as a “chuan”) runs through the village, which was historically called Longchuan. Later generations believed that the small stream (also called a “keng”) flowed out into the Dengyuan River, allowing dragons to swim freely, hence the name was changed to Kengkou. This legend is still passed down among the locals today.

　　Located about 10 kilometers from Jixi County, it is an ancient Huizhou village. Due to its unique geographical environment and long historical and cultural heritage, it has formed distinctive natural and cultural landscapes, and is now a historical and cultural reserve of Anhui Province.

　　Longchuan not only has a long history but is also surrounded by mountains and water, boasting beautiful scenery. The terrain of Longchuan Village resembles a boat moored to the shore, with Longxu Mountain rising to the east, closely bordered by the Dengyuan River, the Longchuan Stream converging to the south, Fengguan Peak standing gracefully to the west, and towering mountains to the north, making it uniquely picturesque. During the Eastern Jin Dynasty, Hu Yan, a Cavalry Attendant-in-Ordinary, was stationed in Shezhou and, charmed by the area’s feng shui, relocated his entire family here in the third year of the Xiankang era (337 AD).

　　The Hu family of Longchuan has produced talents across generations and is known as the famous “Jinshi Village” of Huizhou. Particularly during the Ming Dynasty, the village flourished, with more than 10 individuals achieving the status of Jinshi (successful imperial examination candidates). Among them, the most renowned are Hu Fu, who passed the imperial examination in the 14th year of the Chenghua era (1478 AD), became a Zhongxuacaiguan (Vice Protector of the Heir Apparent) and eventually served as the Minister of Revenue in Nanjing; and 60 years later, Hu Zongxian, who passed the imperial examination in the 17th year of the Jiajing era (1538 AD), became a Taizi Taibao (Grand Protector of the Heir Apparent) and served as the Minister of War. The village now houses the “Longchuan Hu Clan Ancestral Hall” (a national cultural relics protection unit), the “Yishi Shangshu Archway” (a provincial cultural relics protection unit), the “Hui Merchant Hu Bingheng Residence,” and the “Hu Zongxian Former Residence” (both county-level cultural relics protection units). To the east of the village lies Longxu Mountain, named for its abundant production of Longxu grass, a raw material for papermaking. The mountain features peculiar pines, odd rocks, rare birds and animals, steep ridges, rugged ancient paths, and cascading waterfalls. Attractions on the mountain include the Dragon Terrace Cliff, Stone Gate Cave Heaven, Immortal’s Stone House, Cloud Cliff Stone Stairs, and on the western peak’s mountainside, the Longfeng Chan Temple and Ancient Woodcutter’s Hut. At the western foot are the Mountain Hermitage, Zongxian Tomb, and Hu Fu Tomb, making it an excellent destination for cultural, ecological, and religious tourism.

　　Kengkou Village lies quietly in a small basin surrounded by mountains. The clear and sweet Dengyuan ancient stream winds from the north to the south along the east side of the village. According to the “Longchuan Hu Clan Genealogy,” the founding ancestor Hu Yan originally lived in Puyang, Qingzhou, Shandong (now part of Henan). In the fourth year of the Daxing era of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (318 AD), he was ennobled as a Cavalry Attendant-in-Ordinary and Central Military Commander, and accompanied Emperor Yuan southward to guard Shezhou (now Shexian). Later, in January of the first year of the Xiankang era (335 AD), he married Wang Shi, a woman from Huayang, Jixi, and two years later relocated to this place. Kengkou Village is described as having “Longfeng Mountain to the east, Chicken Crown Mountain to the west, the Heavenly Horse galloping upward to the south, and the Long Stream (Dengyuan River) meandering from the north. Admiring the beautiful landscape, they chose to settle at Jinglinli at the mouth of Longchuan and gathered their clan there.”

　　After more than 1,600 years, the lineage has continued to the current “Jin” generation, spanning 48 generations. Speaking of the ancient architecture of Kengkou Village, one must start with the ancestral hall. The Longchuan Hu Clan Ancestral Hall is listed as a national key cultural relics protection unit and is praised by experts as a unique masterpiece among ancient ancestral halls in China. Visitors are sure to admire it.

　　The Longchuan Hu Clan Ancestral Hall was first built in the Song Dynasty and underwent major renovations during the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty. It faces south and consists of three sections, comprising nine main parts: the screen wall, terrace, gate tower, courtyard, corridors, main hall, wing rooms, bedroom hall, and special memorial shrine. The ancestral hall employs a symmetrical architectural layout along a central axis. It presents a grand and majestic atmosphere.

　　Its wood carvings are truly unique. Passing through the large courtyard of the ancient ancestral hall leads to the middle section (i.e., the main hall), which is where the clan leader holds sacrificial ceremonies. It is supported by 14 ginkgo wood pillars, each with a diameter of 166 centimeters. The bases of the pillars are carved with lotus petal stands made of date wood, holding 54 winter melon-shaped beams of varying sizes. The structure combines raised-beam and post-and-lintel construction, giving it an imposing and spectacular appearance. Each beam of the main hall has oval-shaped beam supports at both ends, adorned with carvings of colorful clouds and ribbons, while the middle sections are intricately carved into dragons, phoenixes, and tigers. The rafters are inlaid with decorative carvings, and even the beam hooks are carved with coiled dragons, peacocks, narcissus flowers, and evergreen plants. Looking up, one finds exquisitely detailed carvings. The carvings on the sides and upper sections of the main hall are especially distinctive. Ten floor-length window doors on each side feature lotuses — “unstained by the muddy water” — as the main motif, with blossoms in countless forms: some in bud, just beginning to open; some standing tall and swaying in the wind; others lying flat on the water, spread out like paintings — no two alike. What’s even more delightful is the way flowers contain objects and objects frame scenes. Lotuses ripple in the pond, amid shimmering ripples or playful waves. Among the flower clusters, birds soar in the blue sky, fish dive beneath the surface, ducks play in the green waves, frogs leap in the lotus pond, and mandarin ducks nestle together, bringing the entire scene to vivid, lively life.