Cangpo Ancient Village is located at the foot of the mountains to the north of Yan Tou Town on the upper reaches of the Nanxi River in Yongjia County, Wenzhou. Originally known as Cangdun, it is a settlement of the Li family and has a history of over 800 years. Despite nearly a millennium of vicissitudes, its ancient appearance remains unchanged, still preserving Song Dynasty architecture such as the village wall, roads, residences, pavilions, ancestral halls, ponds, and ancient cypresses, all exuding a rich ancient atmosphere. Cangpo is one of the villages in the Nanxi River basin where the culture of farming and reading is well-developed, and it still retains the elements of this culture very well. In terms of the layout of the village, great emphasis is placed on the connotation of culture. The village is laid out according to the ‘Four Treasures of the Study’. Upon entering the wooden-structured village gate, a straight stone path runs through the entire village, symbolizing the writing brush, known as ‘Brush Street’; a bridge in the middle of the stone path, made of five evenly sized stone slabs, represents the ink; the large stone path on both sides is surrounded by lotus ponds, symbolizing the inkstone; and the rectangular village represents the paper. This layout of the Four Treasures of the Study perfectly interprets the culture of farming and reading. The main attractions in the ancient village include the stockade gate, Renji Temple, and the Li Clan Ancestral Hall. The ancient village gate, in the style of a pavilion, was first built during the Southern Song Dynasty, entirely constructed from wood, with large and small brackets, supporting beams, and eaves. The six layers of brackets were built without a single nail, and the roof is a double-eave hanging mountain structure, appearing dignified and simple. A plaque hangs above the gate, inscribed with four large characters: Cangpo Stream Gate. Below the gate are ‘seven stone steps’, and it is said that when passing through this gate, ‘civil officials must dismount from their sedan chairs, and military officials must dismount from their horses’, indicating its high status. Renji Temple is an ancient architectural complex with a palace style surrounded by water on three sides. Unlike other temples, it does not enshrine Buddhas or the ancestors of the local clan, but a man named Zhou Chu. According to the ‘Shishuo Xinyu’, Zhou Chu was a local bully in his youth, hated by his neighbors and considered one of the ‘three harms’, on par with fierce tigers and venomous snakes. Later, he was guided to reform and became a model for educating young people to turn away from evil and towards good, eventually dying a heroic death on the battlefield. Now, Renji Temple has been transformed into the ‘Nanxi River Folk Museum’, displaying common utensils from the daily life of the Nanxi people, which are worth a stop to observe. The Li Clan Ancestral Hall is the center of etiquette in Cangpo Village and a place for clan gatherings and major clan celebrations. In the past, during the times of clan genealogy compilation and ancestor worship, the Li family would gather here in a grand scene. Through these clan activities, they strengthened the harmony and unity among the clan members; they also often decided on major clan matters and resolved disputes here. The ancestral hall still has a well-preserved ancient stage, surrounded by illustrations of culture and history from the Yongjia area, which is quite interesting. In addition to these ancient buildings, the residential buildings in the ancient village are also captivating.
The residential buildings on both sides of the Pen Street are neatly arranged, with cobblestone walls dividing the ancient village into individual courtyards. Stroll through them to experience the rich ancient atmosphere.
Full text open time: 01/01-12/31 08:00-17:00. Complementary policy additional explanation: The above information is for reference only, please refer to the specific information disclosed by the scenic area on the day.
