Dongcun Village is located in the northern part of Suzhou West Mountain Island, leaning against the green mountains in the south and facing Taihu Lake in the north, overlooking Hengshan, Yinshan, Shao Mountain, and other islands. Dongcun was established at the end of the Qin Dynasty and the beginning of the Han Dynasty, named after Dongyuan Gong, one of the four hermits of Shangshan, who once lived in seclusion here. It was historically known as Dongyuan Village, and is now simply referred to as Dongcun. There are many ancient residences including Fangzhu Hall, Shensi Hall, Ruimu Hall, Renyu Hall, Yansheng Hall, Xuepud Hall, Liugeng Hall, Shaoyi Hall, Xiaoyou Hall, Rende Hall, Dunhe Hall, Cuixiu Hall, Langrun Hall, and Jingshu Hall. Additionally, there are historical sites such as Qixian Alley Gate, Yong’an Bridge, and Dongyuan Gong Temple. Jingshu Hall – a residence associated with Emperor Qianlong’s secret concubine during the Qing Dynasty. Due to economic and transportation constraints, the ancient village scenery of Dongcun is better preserved compared to other areas of West Mountain. The roads in the village are mostly still in their original form of stone slabs and blue bricks, with ancient residences mainly from the Qianlong and Jiaqing periods of the Qing Dynasty. Open all year round, accessible 24 hours a day.
Dongcun Ancient Village
Dongcun Village is located in the northern part of Suzhou West Mountain Island, leaning against the green mountains in the […]
