Huangyao ancient town is situated in the northest of Zhaoping County, Guangxi, some 200 km away from
Guilin and 90 km from
Yangshuo. The town is just like a shy maiden, standing quietly by the low reaches of
Li River. It has been relatively unknown until Hollywood filmed The Painted Veil a few years ago.
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| The idyllic Huangyao presents a typical Chinese scene - "small bridge over the flowing stream". |
The history of Huangyao town can be traced back to
Song Dynasty (960-1279). It was constructed again during the Wanli Period (1573-1620) of the
Ming Dynasty, and boomed during the reign of Emperor Qianlong (1736-1795) of the
Qing Dynasty. The family names of the townspeople were mainly Huang and Yao, hence the town got the name “Huangyao”.
Huangyao, with an area of 3.6 sq km, has long been known as a
mini-Guilin for its typical karst landform. A river named Yaojiang
passes through it, and the whole town is embraced by flows of winding
water. So, according to Chinese fengshui, Huangyao is an ideal place for
people to live. There are over 300 houses of Ming and Qing style, built
in an array of Nine-Palaces and Eight-Diagrams. All the eight streets
in Huangyao are paved with flagstone, and it is said that there are
99,999 flagstones altogether. Those houses along the streets have a
functional design combining business and living into one unit. They are
more than 20 small temples to visit, a number of pavilions and an old
stage.
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| Ancient residences, with wooden doorways and tiled rooftops, along street in Huangyao |
This gorgeous 900-year-old Huangyao, with its laid back lifestyle,
can’t fail to wow visitors with its bucolic rhythms. Two 500-year-old
banyan trees wind their way up from the river’s edge to the side of the
town. Mountains go with water, water goes with bridge, bridge goes
without pavilion, pavilion goes without couplet, and couplet can not go
without stele, which forms a unique scene of the ancient town.
Impressively, the local live as they did in old times –the old people
sit gossiping on their doorsteps; young women wash vegetables or clothes
by the riverside; children play games…
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| The locals wash vegetables or clothes by the ancient Well. |
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| Home-made wines are sold along the street, and free for tasting. |
Owing to its isolated location – surrounded by mountains and the
inconvenient transportation, Huangyao always keep its half-closed
condition. Thus, it makes the ancient house and cultural relics are
well-preserved. With tourism development, more and more people from home
and abroad visit Huangyao. And, the town, along with
West Street in Yangshuo, famed as one of most valuable 50 places for foreign tourists in China.
