Taiji Lake Village

　　In Jixi, the word you hear most often is "ancient." The place locals talk about the most is Taiji Lake Village. Only when you get close to Taiji Lake Village can you feel how "a hidden gem remains unknown," and marvel at the beauty this ancient town brings us.

　　Taiji Lake Village, where the two forces of yin and yang embrace each other, boasts an exceptionally superior natural environment. The Yuexi River winds around the south of the village in an "S" shape, forming a natural "Taiji" landscape wonder together with the western hamlet and eastern fields. There are also three of Huizhou’s finest water inlets—"lion and elephant guarding the gate, sun and moon standing guard, turtle and snake blocking the water"—which amaze even feng shui experts. Over time and by coincidence, a mystical "emperor’s tomb" has also emerged. Taiji Lake Village is a key historical and cultural preservation area in Anhui Province and an important heritage site of intangible cultural heritage. This ancient village, with a history of over 800 years, features many ancient bridges, pavilions, dwellings, ancestral halls, temples, thousand-year-old trees, the Ming Dynasty Yinquan Street, and large groups of brick-carved gateways. Built against the mountains and stretching out, it resembles a three-dimensional landscape painting. It also preserves numerous residences of notable figures (such as Zhang Xianghua, the founder of Huizhou cuisine restaurants, and writer Zhang Yiping), regional specialties like the "swinging high stage" performance, and the unique "Medicine King Stone," making it a living fossil of Huizhou’s ancient architecture and culture.

　　Upon entering Taiji Lake Village, a grand and towering ancestral hall of the Zhang family stands at the west end of the village. Inside the hall is a Ming Dynasty coiled dragon incense pavilion, with six dragons carved on its pillars, seemingly ready to take flight—truly a masterpiece of wood carving. The village has a traditional cultural performance: the swinging high stage. The swing is windmill-shaped, with a rotating seat suspended from the wheel. Young women dressed in traditional costumes sit bound to the chair, singing Huizhou tunes accompanied by wind instruments. The high stage is a square wooden box with carved floral patterns, holding two or three young children dressed as opera characters. Steel wires fix the actors in place seamlessly, creating a thrilling spectacle that is truly a regional specialty.

　　The brick carvings on the gateways of Taiji Lake Village are considered the best in Huizhou, with each piece being a rare treasure. There are many brick carvings, covering a large area—20 in total—with the largest decorative carving spanning 4.2 square meters. The gate hood designs are diverse, including scroll-style, watchtower-style, and pendant-column styles. The carving techniques are highly skilled, producing a strong sense of three-dimensionality and texture, reaching the pinnacle of craftsmanship. The content is rich, with vivid imagery, well-balanced composition, and prominent themes. Spanning over 300 years, the brick-carved gate hoods of Taiji Lake Village are extremely valuable historical materials. Thus, the village is also honored as the "No. 1 Gateway Village of China."

　　At the eastern edge of the village lies the "Emperor’s Tomb," the burial site of Hu Yuansheng, the 25th-generation ancestor of the Longchuan Hu clan and a Song Dynasty Privy Councilor (Qian’er Gong). The ancestral tomb is located on Laolong Mountain, with the distant Qigu Mountain resembling a reclining Buddha. Atop the tomb stands a 1,500-year-old ancient chinkapin tree, its lush canopy providing shade. Though once struck by lightning, it remains sturdy, like an umbrella sheltering the imperial tomb—an awe-inspiring sight. On either side of the tomb are guardian graves of literary and martial champions, blessed with excellent feng shui.

　　A Yuan Dynasty Hu clan physician, known for healing the sick, was called the "Medicine King." Legend says Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang suffered from a severe illness that wouldn’t heal until treated by the Medicine King, recovering fully after just two days. Overjoyed, Zhu Yuanzhang bestowed the four characters "Longfeng En Yong" (Dragon and Phoenix Grace Eternal) to honor the doctor’s healing gift. Later generations built the Medicine King Temple to enshrine him and continue his virtuous legacy.

　　The most captivating sights in the village are the weathered old houses made of gray-black fish-scale tiles and white horse-head walls. Standing in the village, your feet tread on stone slabs worn smooth by time. Looking up, your eyes are filled with deep greenery, and if you listen closely, you can even hear the murmuring spring water from the valley below.

　　This is Taiji Lake Village, where mountains, waters, heaven, earth, and humanity harmonize, creating a utopian society that draws people in and leaves them sighing in wonder. It awaits your visit to explore its ancient charm and mysteries...

　　As a key historical and cultural preservation area in Anhui Province and an important heritage site of intangible cultural heritage, the village has a history of over 800 years. It features many ancient bridges, pavilions, dwellings, ancestral halls, temples, thousand-year-old trees, the Ming Dynasty Yinquan Street, and large groups of brick-carved gateways. Built against the mountains and stretching out, it resembles a three-dimensional landscape painting. It also preserves numerous residences of notable figures (such as Zhang Xianghua, the founder of Huizhou cuisine restaurants, and writer Zhang Yiping), regional specialties like the "swinging high stage" performance, and the unique "Medicine King Stone," making it a living fossil of Huizhou’s ancient architecture and culture.

　　Taiji Lake Village, where the two forces of yin and yang embrace each other, boasts an exceptionally superior natural environment. The Yuexi River winds around the south of the village in an "S" shape, forming a natural "Taiji" landscape wonder together with the western hamlet and eastern fields. There are also three of Huizhou’s finest water inlets—"lion and elephant guarding the gate, sun and moon standing guard, turtle and snake blocking the water"—which amaze even feng shui experts. Over time and by coincidence, a mystical "emperor’s tomb" has also emerged. This is Taiji Lake Village, where mountains, waters, heaven, earth, and humanity harmonize, creating a utopian society that draws people in and leaves them sighing in wonder. It awaits your visit to explore its ancient charm and mysteries.

　　On the north bank of the Yuexi River, across from the "incoming water" area, stand the "Turtle Mountain" and "Snake Mountain." Viewed from the village entrance, the thousand-year-old bitter chinkapin tree of Taiji Lake Village stands out prominently.

　　Upon entering Taiji Lake Village, a grand and towering ancestral hall stands at the west end—Zhang Family Ancestral Hall. On the wall in front of the hall is a vividly painted mural: a picture of auspicious beasts. Inside the hall is a Ming Dynasty coiled dragon incense pavilion, with six dragons carved on its pillars, representing the pinnacle of Huizhou-style wood carving and truly a masterpiece. This is also part of the traditional cultural performance of the swinging high stage. In Taiji Lake Village, every man turning 40 must "put on a show," meaning they organize a large-scale performance of "swinging and high stage." The swing is windmill-shaped, with young women dressed in traditional costumes seated bound to the chair, singing Huizhou tunes accompanied by wind instruments. The high stage is a square wooden box with carved floral patterns, holding two or three young children dressed as opera characters. Steel wires fix the actors in place seamlessly, creating a thrilling spectacle that is truly a Jiangnan specialty.

　　Exiting the ancestral hall and following the winding stone path, you’ll arrive at the water street—Yinquan Street. Built during the Ming Dynasty, the street stretches over 300 meters, with water sourced from Shijin Mountain flowing through the village into Shimen River. The stream runs year-round without drying up, its murmuring sound as pleasant as music. Even during spring floods, the water never overflows onto the street, and the gurgling sounds are even more delightful—hence the name Yinquan (Reciting Spring) Street. Yinquan Street forms a "T" shape with the two main north-south streets, paved entirely with bluestone slabs. Two stone bridges, known as the Large and Small Stone Bridges, span the street. Along the stream, over 100 Huizhou-style buildings with white walls, black tiles, and horse-head walls stand in neat rows, including residences, shops, pharmacies, and oil mills—most dating back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties, simple yet elegant, staggered and densely packed. Stone steps lead down to the river for villagers to wash clothes. The scene of "small bridges, flowing water, and cottages" before your eyes resembles a fresh and bright rural landscape painting.

　　The brick carvings on the gateways of Taiji Lake Village are considered the best in Huizhou, with each piece being a rare treasure, showcasing a uniquely romantic beauty of fantastical distortion. There are many brick carvings, covering a large area—20 in total—with the largest decorative carving spanning 4.2 square meters. The gate hood designs are diverse, including scroll-style, watchtower-style, and pendant-column styles. The carving techniques are highly skilled, producing a strong sense of three-dimensionality and texture, reaching the pinnacle of craftsmanship. The content is rich, with vivid imagery, well-balanced composition, and prominent themes. Spanning over 300 years, the brick-carved gate hoods of Taiji Lake Village are extremely valuable historical materials. Thus, the village is also honored as the "No. 1 Gateway Village of China."

　　At the eastern edge of the village, the ancient tomb of the 25th-generation distinguished ancestor of the Longchuan Hu clan was also discovered. The tomb belongs to Hu Yunlong, a Song Dynasty Privy Councilor. Originally, there were two thousand-year-old bitter chinkapin trees atop the tomb, but only one remains. Though once struck by lightning, it remains sturdy, deeply rooted and lush—a spectacular sight. The tomb faces Qigu Mountain. Standing under the chinkapin tree and looking toward Qigu Mountain, it resembles a sleeping Buddha, incredibly lifelike. According to elders, the 25th-generation ancestor of the Hu clan chose this spot for its exceptional feng shui—the tomb site is shaped like a dragon mountain, the two trees are the dragon’s horns, the two wells at the mountain’s foot are the dragon’s eyes, and the opposite side is the sleeping Buddha. Hence, it became the burial site. As the saying goes: "Born in Hangzhou, play in Yangzhou, buried in Huizhou"—perhaps referring to how much Huizhou people value feng shui.

　　A Yuan Dynasty Hu clan physician, known for healing the sick, was called the "Medicine King." Legend says Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang suffered from a severe illness that wouldn’t heal until treated by the Medicine King, recovering fully after just two days. Overjoyed, Zhu Yuanzhang bestowed the four characters "Longfeng En Yong" (Dragon and Phoenix Grace Eternal) to honor the doctor’s healing gift. Later generations built the Medicine King Temple to enshrine him and continue his virtuous legacy. The temple’s medicine pill stone is said to have healing properties. The monastery features a structure of three rooms and two wing rooms, with a medicinal herb garden, a liberation pond, and a waterside pavilion at the back, all reflecting a distinctive medical aesthetic.