Xiaozuo Village, a place that has nurtured literary figures such as the Qing Dynasty poet Yan Yongguang, values its clan traditions with the complete preservation of the Yan Clan Ancestral Hall. The Yan Clan Ancestral Hall was originally built in the 11th year of the Qianlong era and renovated in the first year of the Daoguang era. The structure is a two-courtyard building, with the front court named ‘Xulun Hall’ and the rear court as the main hall. In ‘Xulun Hall’, various calligraphic plaques adorn the walls. Among them, the two plaques hanging on the main beam, ‘Xulun Hall’ and ‘Qi Nian Du Xue’, were erected by Yan Yongguang, a tribute of the Daoguang Yiyou year and the dean of the Jingning Yafen Academy. Compared to ordinary ancestral halls, the Yan Clan Ancestral Hall is uniquely constructed with a three-tiered stone step, a feature that was said to require imperial approval to build, and could not be privately constructed. Strolling through ‘Yun Zhong Tao Yuan’, a place of natural beauty, heading north along the winding mountain paths, every step of the way is a scenic journey. After walking about five kilometers, a village embraced by ancient trees and exuding an old-world charm comes into view—Xiaozuo. As poetry depicts, Xiaozuo Village is nestled among the dense groves of ancient trees such as bitter persimmon, ginkgo, and maple, basking in the pristine scenery of a Taoist paradise. The elegant bamboo groves enhance the village’s natural and understated elegance, and the passing years cannot erase the ancient, simple folk culture. The people here are experienced, open-minded, hardworking, kind, and their reputation for drinking is well-known far and wide…;…; Open all year round, accessible 24/7.
Xiaozuo Village: A Cultural and Scenic Gem
Xiaozuo Village, a place that has nurtured literary figures such as the Qing Dynasty poet Yan Yonggu[...]
