Ming Village Day Trip, 2017/5/07
Twenty-four photos from a day trip to the ancient village of Cuandixia.
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Cuandixia is a beautiful and historic village west of Beijing that dates back to the Ming and Qing dynasties.
The main attraction is the village itself, a collection of stone courtyard-style houses built on a hillside in a narrow valley.
The village has had the tourism treatment over the last few years, but it’s still a lovely spot to visit, especially if you know the trails in the hills near the village.
We hadn’t visited for a few years, and found a few changes since last time: some more modern renovations, a ban on the BBQ corn and skewer stalls that used to be set up street-side, and some landslip damage to one of our hiking trails.
The weather was great, the hills green, and our favourite courtyard restaurant was still serving great food – a fun day out!
We walked up into the village.
We stopped for a look at something on the main street of the village.
We walked through the village and up into the hills for a short hike.
The entrance to one of the courtyards.
A renovated courtyard.
Further up in the hills, we walked through the ‘One Ribbon of Sky’, a narrow ravine.
Inside the ravine.
Ornamental exterior for a shallow cave.
We got a little lost looking for one of the big caves.
Back on track.
In the cave. The characters read ‘Free People’.
Trying a little bouldering.
We hiked out down the valley.
Valley trail back to the village.
We walked up into the village to find our restaurant.
Lunch time in the courtyard of the restaurant.
Clay pots on the wall of the courtyard.
Views of other houses in the village.
Good spot for a photo.
We took a tour of the village after lunch, visiting the main courtyards.
Outside the Guandi Temple.
Inside the Guandi Temple.
A shrine to Guan Yu. You’ll usually find this figure in any Guandi Temple you visit.
A narrow lane in the village.