“The bluestone winding path is far from the gate, and the clear water is deep in the canals. The old things are still simple, and the ancient style has not been changed for thousands of years.” Shenao Ancient Village is located at the northern foot of Tianzigang on the south bank of the Fuchun River in Tonglu County, Zhejiang Province. It is hidden in the Qingshan Mountains of Western Zhejiang. An ancient village in the green water. Compared with other members of the Jiangnan ancient village group, Shen’ao Village is regarded as the largest ancient village in Tonglu, so it looks more like an ancient town. The ancient village is a typical clan settlement due to the gathering of blood relatives, so most of the residents in the village have the same surname Shentu, of course, there are also a few residents of other surnames. As early as the beginning of the Southern Song Dynasty, the ancestors of the Shentu family moved in from the Shentu Mountain in Fuyang. After nearly a thousand years of multiplication and cultivation, the Shentu family of Shen’ao Village, which is now prosperous, came into being. We know that the most distinctive feature of Hongcun in Anhui is its scientific and reasonable “bull-shaped village-style” water system structure design. In this regard, Shen’ao Village and Hongcun have the same merits. It is said that in Jiangsu and Zhejiang where floods are frequent, the ancient town of Shen’ao has never been damaged by floods, all thanks to the most unique water system design in the village. The water system consists of culverts, open ditches, karez, ponds, streams, etc. It is somewhat similar to the planned water use system of modern cities and towns, and is mainly used to collect rainwater and discharge waste water. At that time, when the ancestors of the Shentu family planned the construction of the village, it was the first plan. To this day, this underground water system, which originated in the Song and formed in the Ming Dynasty, still provides convenience for the daily life of the villagers. Because the locals are used to calling the underdrain “Ao”, and Australia is usually buried deep underground, the ancient village of Shen’ao is also named for it. Shen’ao Ancient Village, founded in the Southern Song Dynasty, is the most famous Jiangnan Ancient Village in Tonglu and a famous historical and cultural village in China. It has the reputation of “the first well in the south of the Yangtze River and the first village in the Southern Song Dynasty”. It is not far from Tonglu County, surrounded by green mountains and beautiful scenery. In addition to the unique mountains and waters in the world, the unique underground water system of the ancient village, the huge group of ancient buildings, and the rich Zong’s culture are all attractions not to be missed. At present, there are more than 200 ancient buildings in the village before the Republic of China. They are exquisitely carved on the outside and exquisitely carved. Among them, more than 40 halls and houses were built in the Ming and Qing dynasties and are well-preserved, which is really rare. Mottled vicissitudes of old walls, ancient alleys paved with cobblestones, plus the patchwork of horse head walls, as well as the karez wells all over the village…make Shen’ao Village look so unique, so old and elegant. Heavy. In the ancient village of Shen’ao, there is no such crowding as Wuzhen and Xitang, but the tranquility and innocence of the local village. You can walk in the rainy ancient alleys and old streets, recalling the glimpses of time, or you can enjoy the light clouds and breeze alone in the warm afternoon sun. Of course, you can also go to the ancestral ancestral hall to learn about the time that has long been solidified into a painting, and you can also go to “Yunxi Shenaoli” to feel the ubiquitous petty bourgeoisie…

On the shore of South Lake, the white walls and gray tiles and blue sky are reflected on the lake water. The first sight of Hongcun is so amazing. Except for the blue water and blue sky, there are no brilliant and colorful colors, but the simple and elegant tones are rich in layers, just like the representative ink paintings of Chinese painting, emblem ink, rice paper, xuan pen, and She inkstone. The simple black and white ash freehand expresses an infinite rich artistic conception. Perhaps this is the aesthetic rooted in our bones, and seeing such a picture makes me feel particularly comfortable.

Although growing in the north, the Hui-style architectural villages in front of them are not alienated. The houses and courtyards are full of the warmth of home and a touch of intimacy. With a bit of yearning and expectation, after passing the small bridge, he walked into this dream home in the south of the Yangtze River.

Home is the inheritance of ethos

The first stop when we walked into Hongcun, we came to Nanhu Academy. “Jia and good Confucianism” is a major feature of Huizhou merchants’ culture. Huizhou people integrate reading with being an official and doing business, forming a “ten-household village, do not abandon reading” folk style of respecting culture and education. At the end of the Ming Dynasty, there were six private schools by the South Lake of Hongcun Village, which were called “Yihu Sixth Court”. During the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty, Wang Yiwen, a native of Hongcun Village, took the lead in contributing capital on the advice of a friend and merged the six private schools. The villagers responded and donated money. The Academy was built in 1814, named “Yiwenjia School”, also known as “Nanhu Academy”. The academy consists of six parts: Zhidaotang, Wenchang Pavilion, Huiwen Pavilion, Enlightenment Pavilion, Wanghu Tower and Gion. The ancient academy in traditional Huizhou style covers an area of ​​about 6000 square meters.

Zhidaotang is a place for lectures. The wall is neatly written with “Zhuzi Zhijia Motto”; Wenchang Pavilion enshrines the Confucius tablet, where students pay homage to the most holy master; Huiwen Pavilion reads four books and five classics for students, and the literati reads the text A place for meeting friends; Enlightenment Pavilion is a place for enlightenment and reading; Wanghu Tower is a place for viewing and resting during leisure time, reflecting the cultural and martial arts of relaxation; and Gion is an inner garden. The academy is a place to educate children and pass on culture. Huizhou has a strong cultural atmosphere, and Hongcun’s family tradition of respecting teachers and education has been passed on from generation to generation, so talented people come forth in large numbers. Scholars such as Wang Kangnian, a book in the cabinet of the Qing Dynasty, Wang Daxie, Prime Minister and Finance Minister of the Republic of China, and Li Xiaojuan, an Australian star expert, have all enlightened here. One by one, students, generations of red-top businessmen, read poetry and books from here, unlocked their wisdom, and embarked on a wonderful life track.

Home is built by heart

Home is the place to live and the home of the heart. To build a home with heart is to create a better life. The attitude of Hongcun people towards home can be seen from the exquisite buildings. Entering Chengzhitang, this residence of Wang Dinggui, a great salt merchant in Hongcun in the late Qing Dynasty, can be said to be a veritable mansion. There are 9 patios, 7 pavilions, two entrances in front and back, with a construction area of ​​more than 3,000 square meters. The brick-wood structure has 136 columns, 60 doors, and 60 windows, which symbolizes the smoothness of six or six. It is said that 100 taels of gold and 600,000 taels of silver are used for building houses, and 5 jin of gold powder is used for the gold powder couplets in the main room alone. The best thing to look at is the exquisite wood carvings, which have been carved by 20 craftsmen for 4 years. Each wood carving is a classic story. The pictures are finely portrayed and the characters are vivid and vivid. While appreciating the art, you can also experience the profound meaning. And connotation.

Hongcun is a “cow”-shaped village. The artificial water system designed and built by Hongcun is known as “a great wonder in the history of architecture” today. The water system is built first and then the village is built. Hongcun has been carefully designed and laid out at the beginning of its construction. Make use of natural stream water, build dams on the river, build water outlets, take advantage of the terrain drop, use stone artificial canals to introduce the stream water into the village, go around the residential buildings, use the natural terrain drop to flow naturally, and merge into the “moon marsh”, and then Flow into the South Lake through the streets.

The water cannon in Hongcun is like a nine-turn “cow intestine”, coiled in the body of the cow in Hongcun. The tight and complete water system composed of the canyon, moon marsh, and South Lake is “tap water” designed by the ancients. The distance of each household in the village is no more than 100 meters. This solves the problem of villagers’ production and domestic water, and can also adjust the temperature and humidity. Huanji is far away from Fangxi, and there is a “clear spring” living environment in front of my house.

In the planning and design of Hongcun Village, according to the traditional saying of “flowers bloom, and the moon is full,” a half-moon-shaped pond was excavated in the village, taking the realm of “flowers not blooming, moon not full”, called ” Moon Marsh”. Now it has become a landmark attraction in Hongcun, as well as a shooting location for many scenic works and blockbuster films. Through scientific and sophisticated design, the people of Hongcun have achieved the “Water” article to a height that we still admire six hundred years later. Build a home with heart and create a harmonious and beautiful life. “Pilot water into the house and dig a well to prevent Zhu Rong’s ravages, take the convenience of washing, seek for the wealth of money, the filth in the house, and the fertile land outside the village.” This is the vivid summary of the function of the water system by the people of Hongcun.

The beautiful homeland also needs care. In order to protect the clean water source, the people of Hongcun have established rules from their ancestors. The water in the “cow intestines” is drinking water before 8 o’clock in the morning. After 8 o’clock, the villagers can wash here. . The water in the canal does not soar due to rains and floods, the water level is always kept below the stone slab, and the flow has never stopped in the years of severe drought. The subtleties reflect the ancients’ superb wisdom and deep understanding of the harmonious relationship between man and nature.

Home is the taste of comfort

Anhui cuisine is one of the eight major cuisines. It is based on cooking, stewing, braising, steaming, smoked and other techniques. It is salty and fresh, respects the original taste, pays attention to firework, pays attention to food supplements, and has a unique style. As the business of Huizhou merchants grows bigger and bigger, as a hometown dish for entertaining guests, Hui cuisine is spread all over the place and has a profound influence. In Hongcun, it is of course indispensable to taste the local flavor. By the side of the moon marsh, the ingredients being dried have attracted great interest from passing tourists, and they have already begun to figure out the lunch and evening dishes.

When “Bite of China” was broadcast, it showed the historical origin, cultural connotation and charm of Anhui cuisine incisively and vividly. Hairy tofu and stinky mandarin fish became a must-see online celebrity delicacy in Huangshan. I am from the north, it is easy to adapt to the salty and fresh taste of Anhui cuisine, and I like it more and more after eating it.

It is said that good mountains and rivers produce good tea. Huizhou has always been a famous tea producing area. Apart from restaurants and supermarkets, a large part of the stores along the streets of Hongcun are selling specialty products, especially tea. The newly picked Mingqian tea is on site. Stir-fried, fragrant all over the street, savor a cup of fragrant tea, fragrant refreshing.

Although it was the first time I came to Hongcun, I was no stranger to it. I even had a sense of deja vu, as if I had returned to the homeland where I grew up. What I saw and heard in the village seemed to awaken the imprints in my memory. Perhaps this is the recognition of beauty rooted in the heart that will evoke the memory of home. Some people say that Hongcun is a painting, and there is a natural ink Jiangnan constructed between the blue tiles and white walls. Some people say that Hongcun is a poem. A dream, vaguely dreamland, as if walking into the dream home in the depths of the soul.