Well it was time to escape the pollution, incessant noise and the maddening crowds that make up Nanjing...also it is the time of qing ming (tomb sweeping) festival so I manage to get a few consecutive days off. Decided to head to nearby Anhui Province and see some of the sights.

Got the overnight soft sleeper train to Huangshan and then a car to Hongcun. Have to say its my first time on a sleeper train and if what I had was a soft sleeper then I don't want to see a hard sleeper!!! Even I, who is used to sleeping on a hard bed, found these to be uncomfortable. Luckily none of my compartment companions snored so it was a quiet night at least.

Located in Yixian County about an hour from Huangshan City Hongcun Ancient Village was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000 for its beauty and largely undeveloped traditional streets and houses. Hongcun Village enjoys the reputation of 'a village in the beautiful Chinese picture' because of its location at high altitude and being shrouded by clouds and mist. It has about 137 Ming and Qing style residences still in existance today and being used as homes by local residents.Hongcun Village is built in the shape of an ox. The locals liken Leigang Hill as the 'head', two huge trees on the hill as the 'horns', the residences in the village as the 'body', the winding streams as the 'intestines', half moon lake as the 'stomach' and the four bridges as the 'four feet'.
This early ox-shaped village came into being in the Ming Dynasty when Wang Siqi, their 76th ancestor, hired a famous Feng Shui expert as his adviser. His advice resulted in the construction of ponds and water channels flowing through nearly every household within the village so as to keep the "internal Yang water" and assure "eternal prosperity to all later generations".

Built with white walls and black tiles, all the residences are arranged systematically and are in harmony with nature. Among them, the Chengzhi Hall is the most representative and is praised as the 'Folk Imperial Palace'. Numerous varieties of figures and patterns are carved on the columns, beams and door frames and are gilded with gold. It is said that about five kilograms (11 pounds) gold had been used in gilding the wood carvings during the construction of the house. The Chengzhi Hall is the best preserved of all the famous residences. One could spend hours looking at the intricate wood carvings which you have to remind yourself were all done by hand. Other halls including Jinxiu, Dongxian, Sanli, and Xuren . The one I liked the name of the best was the Utopian Residence!!
The famous film "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" was made here and everyone wants to walk across the bridge that featured in the film. It is also a favourite haunt of artists and students who often stay with local families to paint here. As you walk around you can watch people of all ages painting the various scenes. Some are great and some are dreadful but everyone looks so calm and serene as they sit there perusing the scene before them and then committing paint to paper or canvas.

It was wonderful to wander through the ancient streets and having a guide enabled me to fully appreciate everything as he could translate all the signs for me. This is no museum so I got to handle many items and sit on furniture including in the opium smoking room !!! There were the usual tourist shops that sold the **** that many tourists pick up but there were also some more traditional places to see as well. Also my guide was familiar with the village so we were able to go down many of the back alleyways and see more of the traditional lifestyle of the villagers.

Due to it being holiday time Hongcun was full of Chinese tourists. Of course we have so few holidays here that they also pick this time to travel around.....i just kind of wished a few had stayed home to sweep the tombs of their ancestors!!