Walking in a Real-Life Museum “Cuandixia Village”

If you’re looking for something a little different (and a little quieter) while in Beijing, plan for a road trip to Cuandixia Village. Spend a day there visiting the folk homes, many of which have been turned into B&Bs and accommodations for tourists. Or, you can choose to take advantage of the fresh air by hiking around the nearby trails and mountains.

Located in the Mentougou District in Beijing, Cuandixia Village was built more that 500 years ago. A cluster of a few hundred grey stone courtyard houses remains standing and date back to the Ming and Qing dynasties, earning it the nickname of “The Potala Palace of Beijing.” This makes the area very popular with architectural buffs, as steep staircases and cobblestone lanes add to the charm, making it overall a uniquely photogenic spot.

 
1 History of Cuandixia Village
 

The village has a history of over 500 hundred years, which can be dated back to Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644 AD). It used to go through a prosperous stage; but now only 76 courtyards have survived from the natural erosion and gunpowder, and 29 families in total still inhabit in the village.  Recalled in ancient times as a flourishing inn on the post road as well as a major traffic artery for access to the Shanxi Province from Beijing, the economy of the village had developed through farming and trading, what are still the main economic basics presently.

Wandering through the village feels like walking in a real life museum. Cuandixia’s courtyards, carvings and cultural relics are the only history reminders of this gentle village (hopefully) forgotten by industrialization. Placed under national level cultural relic’s protection, Cuandixia village is a great place to discover.

2 What to see in Cuandixia Village today
 

Visitors looking for some typical sights about rural China, with ancient architecture houses, local people and gorgeous natural scenery will be charmed by the discoving Cuandixia village. Despite the growing industrialization of China, Cuandixia has succeeded in keeping its traditional folk culture as well as original architecture. Remaining largely unchanged for centuries, the village is still surrounded by green pine trees, verdant cypresses and a mountain canyon. By visiting Cuandixia, travelers will have to use steep stairs and lanes paved with rocks passing by delicate courtyards, old pavements and traditional houses where local people use to sit playing card, sip on a cup of tea or just watch people walking on the street.

3 Local people
 

The Cuandixia village is famous for having been home to the Han’s Family. All villagers’ surnames are Han (韩), a Chinese character having homophonic meaning with coldness; they were given the name by their ancestors also to defend against the cold days. When visiting Cuandixia, travelers are pleased by the kindhearted attention people reserve to them. Tasting some local peasant meals, listening to legends and visiting family houses are making your visit to Cuandixia even more interesting. Unlike big cities, the natural wild life in Cuandixia makes you feel more of the real truth of nature and happiness.

Getting there
Self-drive route: Drive along the National Highway No.109 (G109) from the west Beijing,  at the distance of about 90km turn right at Zhaitang Town with the placard pointing to Cuanbai Scenic Area.
Bus: About 150 meters west of Pingguoyuan Subway Station (地铁苹果园西), take Bus 892, this bus is available every 1 hour, starts from Pingguoyuan Xi, get off at Zhaitang xikou, then take a taxi to Cuandixia Village. The bus is available between 7:00am to 15:40. The last bus from Zhaitang to Beijing is at 5pm.
Taxi: From Beijing taking you to Cuandixia village directly.
Private transportation: If you prefer to go there by car, we at ReFoX will be delighted to arrange for a private car with driver for you. Just contact us at services@refoxrelocation.com

Admission
Admission fee: CNY 40

Opening hours: Full day

Best Season For Visit : Spring, Summer

Enquiry Tel: 86-10- 69818988

Maps

Check on Baidu http://map.baidu.com/?shareurl=1&poiShareUid=06d2dffda107b0ef89f15db6&cityCode=131&tn=B_NORMAL_MAP&hb=B_SATELLITE_STREET