Magnificent Hongcun village in Huangshan city

A sweeping aerial photo shows Hongcun village bathed in mist at sunrise. [Photo/VCG]

Set against the backdrop of Huangshan Mountain, Hongcun village – administered by Huangshan city's Yixian county in Anhui province – is a marvelous ancient village.

It was listed as a UNESCO Cultural Heritage Site in 2000 and is known as one of the country's most beautiful villages thanks to its natural landscape and ancient Huizhou-style buildings.

The whole village looks like a painting, with the natural landscape and man-made structures in harmony. Lying in the land of peach blossoms, the village has been represented in many Chinese paintings.

Hongcun village in Yixian county is renowned for its well-preserved traditional buildings. [Photo provided to China Daily]

The earliest house constructed in the village dates back to the reign of Emperor Shaoxing in the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279). More than 140 residential houses from the Ming (1368-1644) and the Qing (1644-1911) dynasties are well preserved, of which Cheng Zhi Tang is the best example.

Famous scenic spots include Spring Morning of South Lake, Recitation in the Private School, Half-moon Pond and Lotuses in the Breeze, Double Streams Mirroring Green Color, Old Trees in front of the Pavilion and Sunset at Leigang.

Hongcun is also a place to study the Huizhou merchants, who were business tycoons for more than 300 years.

The village offers visitors a chance to travel back in time while strolling among the ancient architecture.

With the verdant mountains in the background, the whitewashed walls and black roof tiles of the village are reflected perfectly in the lake. [Photo/WeChat ID: cnhsta]

A gorgeous view of blooming spring flowers in Hongcun village, Huangshan city. [Photo/WeChat ID: cnhsta]