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在线翻译:
szdaily -> Travel -> 
Top 5 distinctive ancient villages in China (I)
    2015-06-15  08:53    Shenzhen Daily

    There are many ancient villages across China known for their beautiful village scenes, long history and rich culture. Among them, some stand out for their distinctive characters. Here are some villages that you will find the most unique and special.

    Guoliang Village, Henan

    Guoliang Village is a tiny village hidden in the Taihang Mountain in Henan Province made up of only about 80 households. For more than 600 years, the village was unknown to the outside world, but it is now known as the village that has the most daring roads in the world.

    The village was named after a fugitive rebel during the Han Dynasty (260 B.C.-A.D. 220) who had fought an overwhelming imperial force. Before the Guoliang Tunnel was built, the only way to reach the village was by a difficult path carved into a mountain cliff. The village is nestled in a valley surrounded by towering mountains that cut them off from outside civilization.

    In order to build an easier connection to the outside world, in 1972, a group of 13 villagers, led by Shen Mingxin, began a road building project. One man died during the construction. Without any access to power tools, they undertook the construction mostly with hammers and chisels. At the most difficult stage, the tunnel progressed at a rate of one meter every three days. It is 1.2 kilometers long, five meters tall and four meters wide.

    The road finally opened to traffic in 1977 and made the village a tourist destination and a popular spot for movie shootings.

    The Taihang Mountain is also a well-known attraction in China. It is a striking land dotted by a world of caves, forests of stones, gardens of various plants and is a fairyland of animals. There are over 400 natural landscapes and 44 tourist attractions in the area.

    Must-see attractions include Nuyao Cave, Shibapan and Tianqiao.

    Transport: Fly to Zhengzhou, capital of Henan Province, from Shenzhen airport and take a coach to the mountain.

    Baoshan Stone City, Yunnan

    Located near Jinsha River Canyon, Baoshan Stone City is about 120 kilometers north of Lijiang, Yunnan Province. One of China’s most famous secret cities, it was built on a huge mushroom-shaped rock, so the city is called “stone city.”

    The city is the original habitat of the Naxi ethnic group, who migrated to the area during the Northern and Southern Dynasties (368-589). The Naxi people built the city from 1277 to 1294 during the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368). Their own language, houses and architecture have been well preserved here, reflecting the traditional life of the Naxi people.

    One side of the city is a stone slope that goes straight down into the Jinsha River, and its other sides are steep cliffs. With only stone gates in the north and south for access, the whole city forms a natural strategic pass. Houses were built according to the terrain of the rock, and all of the cultivable hillsides around the city have been turned into terraced fields.

    There are still about 100 families living in the city, following their unique and traditional lifestyle.

    On the way to Stone City, there are world-renowned attractions such as Lijiang Ancient Town, Tiger Leaping Gorge and Yulong Snow Mountain.

    Transport: Fly to Lijiang from Shenzhen airport, and take a coach or hire a local driver to the village.

    (Wang Yuanyuan)

    Top 5 distinctive ancient villages in China (I)

    There are many ancient villages across China known for their beautiful village scenes, long history and rich culture. Among them, some stand out for their distinctive characters. Here are some villages that you will find the most unique and special.

    Guoliang Village, Henan

    Guoliang Village is a tiny village hidden in the Taihang Mountain in Henan Province made up of only about 80 households. For more than 600 years, the village was unknown to the outside world, but it is now known as the village that has the most daring roads in the world.

    The village was named after a fugitive rebel during the Han Dynasty (260 B.C.-A.D. 220) who had fought an overwhelming imperial force. Before the Guoliang Tunnel was built, the only way to reach the village was by a difficult path carved into a mountain cliff. The village is nestled in a valley surrounded by towering mountains that cut them off from outside civilization.

    In order to build an easier connection to the outside world, in 1972, a group of 13 villagers, led by Shen Mingxin, began a road building project. One man died during the construction. Without any access to power tools, they undertook the construction mostly with hammers and chisels. At the most difficult stage, the tunnel progressed at a rate of one meter every three days. It is 1.2 kilometers long, five meters tall and four meters wide.

    The road finally opened to traffic in 1977 and made the village a tourist destination and a popular spot for movie shootings.

    The Taihang Mountain is also a well-known attraction in China. It is a striking land dotted by a world of caves, forests of stones, gardens of various plants and is a fairyland of animals. There are over 400 natural landscapes and 44 tourist attractions in the area.

    Must-see attractions include Nuyao Cave, Shibapan and Tianqiao.

    Transport: Fly to Zhengzhou, capital of Henan Province, from Shenzhen airport and take a coach to the mountain.

    Baoshan Stone City, Yunnan

    Located near Jinsha River Canyon, Baoshan Stone City is about 120 kilometers north of Lijiang, Yunnan Province. One of China’s most famous secret cities, it was built on a huge mushroom-shaped rock, so the city is called “stone city.”

    The city is the original habitat of the Naxi ethnic group, who migrated to the area during the Northern and Southern Dynasties (368-589). The Naxi people built the city from 1277 to 1294 during the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368). Their own language, houses and architecture have been well preserved here, reflecting the traditional life of the Naxi people.

    One side of the city is a stone slope that goes straight down into the Jinsha River, and its other sides are steep cliffs. With only stone gates in the north and south for access, the whole city forms a natural strategic pass. Houses were built according to the terrain of the rock, and all of the cultivable hillsides around the city have been turned into terraced fields.

    There are still about 100 families living in the city, following their unique and traditional lifestyle.

    On the way to Stone City, there are world-renowned attractions such as Lijiang Ancient Town, Tiger Leaping Gorge and Yulong Snow Mountain.

    Transport: Fly to Lijiang from Shenzhen airport, and take a coach or hire a local driver to the village.

    (Wang Yuanyuan)

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