Sanyuan Ancient Village in Chengangling, Zixing, Hunan

Sanyuan Ancient Village was built in the mid-Qing Dynasty, with a history of about 300 years. It was founded by the three grandsons of Yuan Daoda, the founding ancestor of Huang Changling: the three brothers Yuan Jinglin, Yuan Junyuan, and Yuan Chunyang. Sanyuan Village is nestled by the mountains and water, featuring southern Hunan Hui-style architecture. The houses are arranged in a straight line, with blue bricks and black tiles, laid out horizontally with two vertical rows, two horizontal rows, and a central hall. The village has four ancient spring wells with clear and sweet water that flows year-round. The naming of the village was thoughtfully considered. One explanation is that the ancient saying "Sanyuan Qidi" (Three Firsts in the Land) inspired the name, with "Yuan" meaning "beginning" or "first," as in "Common Era" or "top scholar." The three brothers named it "Sanyuan Village" to symbolize their aspiration to excel. Another explanation is that in early local imperial examinations, the village produced three successful scholars, hence the name "Sanyuan Village." A few years ago, villagers Yuan Zujiu and his sister Yuan Zuoying raised over 2 million yuan to renovate the main hall and ancient residences of Sanyuan Village. They also established a high-end leisure farm here, attracting many tourists to visit the ancient village, bringing prosperity back to Sanyuan Village. The large collection of cultural relic plaques gathered by the village owner in the ancient hall is truly remarkable.