Zhuge Village, located in the northwest of Lanxi, is a significant settlement for the descendants of Zhuge Liang. The village is laid out according to the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) pattern, surrounded by mountains with a low-lying center, resembling a vast treasure basin. Centered around the Tai Chi-shaped Zhongchi at the heart of the village, eight alleys extending in all directions form the inner Bagua, while eight small hills outside the village form the outer Bagua, hence the name ‘Zhuge Bagua Village’.
The Zhuge Bagua Village scenic area is divided into two parts: the main scenic area and the west line scenic area. The west line includes Longfeng Temple and a Hundred Herbs Ecological Garden, where visitors can observe animals and participate in related experiential projects. The main attraction is the ancient architecture of Zhuge Village in the main scenic area, a culturally rich, simple, and peaceful ancient village where many elderly residents still live. Strolling along the bluestone paths, one can see fortune-tellers, sellers of paintings and calligraphy, and vendors of various small items such as Zhuge Lian Nu, Zhuge feathers fan, and Kongming lock.
The village is not very large, and it can be traversed in about one to two hours with casual walking. However, exploring the village’s alleys thoroughly would take about half a day. Visitors need to purchase tickets to enter the village, starting from the ticket office and following the recommended route on the scenic area’s guide signs in a semicircle, allowing them to visit all the main attractions in order.
A highlight of Zhuge Bagua Village is Zhongchi, the central landmark of the village. The south bank is a steep slope with several large houses built along it, appearing higher from the north bank. A row of small bungalows facing the water on the front are reflected in the water, presenting a steep and elegant outline. Not far from the ticket office towards Zhongchi is the ancestral hall of the Gao Long Zhuge clan, the Prime Minister’s Temple, which enshrines statues of Zhuge Liang and other ancestral sages of the Zhuge family. The architecture is quite exquisite, and the sculptures are very delicate. The Dagong Hall by Zhongchi is the only Wuhou memorial building in the Jiangnan region.
Shangtang and Xiatang areas also concentrate many attractions: the Dajing Hall displays a large number of specimens related to traditional Chinese medicine, which is a specialty of Zhuge Village; the Yongmu Hall on the hillside is beautiful in its facade, with unique carvings on the porch, brackets, and roof, and features wax figures telling the stories of famous people from Zhuge Village. In addition, there are Tianyi Hall, Sangu Hall, Nongfang Pavilion, and Kongming’s Life Exhibition, all of which require tickets for entry.
Apart from visiting the ancestral halls, strolling among the Hui-style old buildings in the village is also quite enjoyable. The archway-style gate on Xiatang Road, inscribed with ‘Two Kui of the Village and Association’, is majestic and is the village’s signature building. The narrow Yitai Alley flanked by residential buildings, the leisurely villagers, and the ubiquitous traces of Zhuge culture all showcase the simple and vivid side of Zhuge Village. Walking to any pond, the ancient buildings and their reflections appear tranquil and beautiful, making for photos with character.
It is important to note that due to the numerous alleys and interconnected narrow lanes in the village, it is easy for outsiders to enter but difficult to exit, and even to get lost.
However, asking villagers usually yields answers. Finding Zhongchi Pool can help locate north. Most tourists visiting Zhuge Bagua Village come by self-driving from Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Generally, they don’t stay overnight in the village. But there are places for eating and accommodation in the village, concentrated in the Shangtang and Xiatang areas. The hygiene is average, and the prices are fair. Restaurants popular with diners include Ancient Street Restaurant and Shui Ge Lou Local Cuisine Restaurant. For accommodation, Huayuan Apartment has better conditions. In addition, there are seven wells in Changle Fudi in the south of the village laid out in the shape of the Big Dipper, which is very interesting. It takes about 15 minutes to walk there from Zhuge Village. If time permits, it is recommended to visit together. Opening hours: From November 1st to March 31st, it is open from 08:00 to 16:30; from April 1st to October 31st, it is open from 07:30 to 17:00; on New Year’s Eve, it is closed all day. Preferential policies: Children: Free for those under 6 years old (inclusive) or under 1.2 meters in height (inclusive); half price for those between 1.2 meters (exclusive) and 1.5 meters (exclusive) in height. Elderly: Half price for those aged 60 years old (inclusive) and above (traveler’s ID number needs to be filled in when placing an order. When checking tickets, valid documents such as ID card and senior citizen card need to be presented). Students: Half price for full-time students (including those from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan regions, excluding adult education and graduate students) with valid student ID. Minors: Half price for those between 6 years old (exclusive) and 18 years old (exclusive). Active military personnel: Half price with officer’s ID or soldier’s ID. Retired military personnel from Jinhua: Free with valid documents. Disabled people: Free with disability certificates issued by county-level or municipal-level and above disabled persons’ federations. Journalists: Free with press cards issued by the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television. Service facilities: Parking lot: [Zhuge Bagua Village Parking Lot]. Reference price: ¥10/time. Address: Tourist Service Center of Zhuge Bagua Village, Lanxi City, Zhejiang Province. Parking spaces: 400.
