Nestled deep in the northeastern mountainous region of She County lies a collection of dozens of quaint villages, with Shitan Village being one of them, and relatively accessible from the outside world. The deeper you venture into Shitan Village, the more captivating the scenery becomes, and the more rustic charm it offers. The villages are connected by a single, narrow path. When spring arrives, the hillsides are ablaze with the vibrant yellow of rapeseed flowers and the delicate white of pear blossoms, a sight that is truly breathtaking.
Due to its inconvenient transportation, Shitan Village is seldom visited by tourists, making it an ideal spot for photography and sketching. Shitan Ancient Village still preserves two ancient ancestral halls. One of them, known as the Xu Lun Hall, is a paragon of ancient ancestral halls. Built during the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty, it is over 400 years old and features 100 beams, a spectacle in the history of Chinese architecture, earning it the nickname ‘Hall of a Hundred Beams’. It is open all year round and accessible 24/7, with specific business hours subject to the day’s opening conditions.Must-see tips: 1. The local farmhouse meals are delicious and offer a taste of fresh bamboo shoots, aged tofu, and free-range eggs. 2. Be environmentally conscious and refrain from littering in the mountains. 3. The climate in the mountains is cool, so bring extra clothing and a flashlight.
