Diaoyuan, Jiangxi: A Thousand-Year-Old Village You Won't Want to Leave

"Don't mock the farmer's cloudy winter wine; in good years, guests feast on chicken and pork. Through mountains and streams where paths seem to end, past dark willows and bright flowers, another village appears." Once, we dreamed of such pastoral life from our textbooks until discovering Diaoyuan Ancient Village in Ji'an, Jiangxi - a millennium-old settlement embraced by 20,000 camphor trees. This ancestral home of Northern Song Dynasty literary giant Ouyang Xiu's descendants features black-tiled houses with gray bricks and scattered ponds. Walking through it feels like stepping into a moving Song Dynasty painting. 🚶‍♀️ Take a Stroll Through Ancient Villages and Experience the Thousand-year-old Luling Culture The ancient Diaoyuan Village's architectural layout subtly aligns with the "Eight Trigrams" pattern. Over a hundred Ming and Qing dynasty Ganzhou-style residences are built along the mountainside, with seven ponds linked together like the "Seven Stars Accompanying the Moon." The Ouyang clan's main ancestral hall in the village features an imposing and solemn three-character formation structure. The couplet "Nine generations of unparalleled literary excellence, eight generations of the finest scholarly family" still tells the story of the Ouyang family's glorious cultural heritage. The Gan-style old buildings exude a mellow warmth of age, with horse-head walls and courtyard corridors seemingly concealing countless stories. After renovation and transformation by Shili Fangfei, the ancient village has quietly developed a sense of fashion! Coffee shops by the rice fields and handicraft workshops sit next to old ancestral halls, where tradition and modernity seamlessly blend, creating a cinematic atmosphere perfect for photography at every turn 📸 🏨Poetic Living: Finding Ouyang Xiu's Romance in Nature This time, I stayed at the Zhen X Hotel, which was converted from a traditional Gannan-style residence with 28 rooms. Surrounded by swaying bamboo groves and winding paths, the hotel features a mix of gray-tiled roofs, blue bricks + minimalist natural wood design. The moment you step in, you're instantly soothed by its raw, natural textures ~ Inspired by the locally abundant Jinggangshan pomelos, the hotel incorporates pomelo designs, elements, and colors throughout its lobby and guest rooms. You can even catch the fragrant scent of pomelos in the air. Here, you can enjoy a relaxing stay, and when you open your window, you'll find yourself immersed in poetic vistas stretching into the distance. Diaoyuan Ancient Village has several other guesthouses in Shili Fangfei area, offering options for different budgets. 🍵 A Culinary Journey Through Ancient Villages: From Pomelo Coffee to Rural Home Cooking ✅Luanxia Yan Restaurant: Discover a new take on Jiangxi cuisine at the Zhen X Hotel restaurant! The chef creatively incorporates Jinggangshan pomelo and Gannan navel oranges into dishes. The pomelo-glazed spare ribs offer a perfect balance of sweet and sour flavors, with distinct layers that are both refreshing and delightfully sweet. ✅Taozui Diaoyuan Restaurant: Specializing in local Diaoyuan dishes with fresh ingredients. Both healthy vegetarian options and traditional Hakka cuisine are worth trying. A satisfying dining experience. ✅Bei Wang Xi Noodle House: Hand-pulled oil-splashed noodles served with seasonal spring ingredients and local black pork - fragrant and satisfying without being greasy. ✅Zhen X Hotel's Zhen Coffee: The "Spring Citrus" is amazing! Candied pomelo pulp + cold brew coffee creates a perfect blend - the first sip brings fresh fruity notes followed by a rich, sweet aftertaste. Sipping coffee in the glass house while watching the sunset over the ancient village - now this is living! ☕️ ✅MOJ Rural Coffee: A modern industrial-style cafe surrounded by rice fields, perfectly integrated into the landscape - a photogenic, Instagram-worthy coffee spot. 🎨 Intangible Cultural Heritage Handicrafts: Take Home the Memories of Ancient Villages Pottery Workshop: Create your own pottery and feel the warmth of clay. Glass Workshop: DIY glass jewelry and accessories. In Diaoyuan Ancient Village, escape the urban hustle and bustle to fully embrace the pastoral tranquility and beauty. Find a sanctuary for your soul, live like a Song Dynasty resident for a day, and experience the unique charm of this thousand-year-old village.