Anhui | Visit the ancient town of Xidi to experience a tranquil morning and the bustle of everyday life

Surrounded by mountains on all sides, Xidi Village is shaped like a boat nestled among the hills, with a layout that embraces the mountains, water, and screen-like vistas. Its architecture, dating back to the Northern Song Dynasty's Huangyou period, is predominantly wooden, with exquisite carvings in wood, stone, and brick. The village pond, teeming with lotus flowers in summer, is vibrant and elegant, drawing many visitors to paint and sketch here. Location: Xidi Village, Xidi Town, Yi County, Huangshan City, Anhui Province Transportation: There is a passenger transport center next to Huangshan North Station for travel to Xidi (Xidi has a shuttle bus service with Hongcun scenic spot) 🎫 Ticket: 104 RMB per person (valid for three days) Must-visit spots Hu Wenguang Archway Built in the sixth year of the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, commonly known as "Xidi Archway" with rich and lifelike stone carvings and a long history Viewing Platform Overlooking the entire ancient town of Xidi, surrounded by mountains and rising clouds, a must-visit for photos Lingyun Pavilion Built in the fifty-second year of the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, it offers a view of one of the "Eight Sights of Xidi," the "Wuqiao Night Moon." West Garden, East Garden The three excellences of Xidi (wood, stone, brick carvings) are vivid and exquisite, with courtyard layouts that are both independent and interconnected, representing the Huizhou-style gardens of the Jiangnan region. Jing'ai Hall The Hu family ancestral hall, built in the twenty-eighth year of the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, has a typical outward appearance with flying eaves and upturned corners, and an open interior. The two six-meter-tall bluestone columns in the lower hall and the white fruit wood columns in the upper hall complement each other, also representing typical Huizhou architecture Recommended food Hairy tofu, dried vegetable meat cakes, Wang Yitiao wontons, Huizhou hairy tofu, stinky mandarin fish (if you're not used to stinky mandarin fish, you can order fresh grilled mandarin fish), smoked meat with fresh bamboo shoots pot, wujiapi stir-fried eggs, Huizhou stir-fry (local wild vegetables). Tips 🔸The ancient village is not too large, so it's recommended to come early in the morning when the distant mountains are shrouded in mist, which is simply magical. Spend half a day strolling through the village; during the off-season, there are not many tourists, and it's really comfortable to walk and stop for photos. 🔸Outside the village, there is a pond where you can photograph the reflection of the ancient village in the water, especially in summer with lotus flowers and in autumn and winter mornings with swirling mists. 🔸There are some free-range geese and ducks outside the village, and using them in photos with the ancient buildings adds to the artistic conception. 🔸There are many winding alleys in the village, with white walls and black tiles, and paved with green bricks. Any of them can capture the feel of a Jiangnan town.