Huwenguang 胡文光 Archway in Xidi 西递 Ancient Town
Apart from the famous Huangshan, Anhui province is also known for its ancient towns. Two of these ancient towns have been elevated to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. This is the primary reason what I’m here. The ancient town of Xidi is a little more than an hour away from Tunxi in Anhui province. As one might expect, Xidi is a town which has preserved its architecture and culture. Interestingly, most of the houses here have the same style, called Huizhou 徽州 architecture. This style is prevalent in this area and also in the city particularly Tunxi.
Lion Head at the Entrance Arch in Xidi 西递 Ancient Town
I remember when we were approaching Tunxi, I also saw a number of small villages with the Huizhou architecture This is no tourist gimmick, it is the real thing. In some ways, the way of life of the villages here hasn’t changed much. Despite the onset of the information age, they still plow on with their lives as they did hundreds of years ago. I have a feeling that Xidi is very picturesque town and I’m really looking forward to see it.
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