Xiaoyi Ancient Village, Shanxi

“Nostalgia” - The overgrown path leads to the red gate of the ruins 1. Xiaoyi has three authentic "ancient villages" (with 95%-100% of ancient buildings preserved), each with its own unique character: Xijibao Village, a family legacy; Hengxingbao Village, a defensive community; and Wangcaibao Village, a symbol of the end of prosperity. 2. Xijibao Village is composed of two mountains, three valleys, and four ridges, with a high north and low south terrain. The buildings are mainly cave dwellings, built on the mountain, stacked high and low, and arranged in an orderly manner. The village is a typical traditional village in the loess hilly area, with rich loess customs. Xijibao Village has 23 traditional dwellings and was included in the fourth batch of China's traditional villages in 2016. In addition, Xijibao Village was also listed as the sixth batch of historical and cultural villages in Shanxi Province by the Shanxi Provincial People's Government in September 2023. 3. Hengxingbao Village is a fort-style village with 24 courtyards and 72 cave dwellings and houses. It was built on a small hill about 12 meters high in the surrounding wilderness, with a brick fort gate about 13 meters high, arched, and only five feet wide in diameter. Above the fort gate is a blue stone with the words "Hengxingbao" inscribed on it, dated "August 2, 1675" (the fort was built by wealthy merchants to resist bandits). All the dwellings are connected to each other. There is also a seven-foot-wide street in the village, about 20 feet long, only for pedestrians. The fort gate is guarded day and night, and is closed at night to ensure the safety of the residents. 4. Wangcaibao Village has a long history, with a post station built in 532. The village's ancient residence, Fan's Courtyard, was built in 1877, covering an area of 1,828 square meters and a building area of 2,607 square meters. The entire courtyard is square, facing southwest, with a compact layout, good wind and light conditions, and high land utilization. It is a representative ancient courtyard in the southwestern mountainous townships of Xiaoyi.