Yangchi Ancient Village, the first village in Lingnan, is located in Fengkai, Guangdong

Yangchi Ancient Village, known as the 'first village in Lingnan', is a Ming and Qing cultural heritage site hidden in the deep mountains. It is located in Luodong Town, Fengkai County, Zhaoqing City, Guangdong Province, nearly thirty kilometers away from the county town. All villagers are surnamed Ye, once a family, after hundreds of years of reproduction and growth, they formed a village. The ancient Ming and Qing architectural complex, surrounded by green mountains and rivers, is like a paradise. In front of the Ye's ancestral hall in the village, there is a pool of water that is green all year round and clear to the bottom. Willows are planted by the pool. The willows swaying in the wind are reflected in the pool, like an ink painting, hence the village is named 'Yangchi Village'. Yangchi Ancient Village is built according to the mountain, with a well-arranged layout. There are more than sixty brick-wood structures with hard mountain tops or rest mountain tops from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. They are all two or three courtyards. There are also five academies (learning palaces), four book rooms, Chujing, Jinggong, Junlu, Jingong, and an ancient bank, which have a history of four to five hundred years. The buildings in the village are all made of large rectangular granite stones that have been carefully carved by hand. They can prevent moisture and pests, and are durable. The architectural structure is tight and symmetrical, and the shape is beautiful and exquisite. There are doors, screens, etc. in the house, with small doors knocking on each other, the roof ridge is raised, and the tile ridge and the top of the main door are carved with patterns of flowers, birds, insects, fish, dragons, phoenixes, and unicorns. There are calligraphy and painting, the craftsmanship is exquisite, lifelike, and the art and architecture are perfectly integrated. The 'Ye's Family Tree' recorded in Yangchi Village and the exquisite architecture today show that the entire Yangchi Village was built by the ancestor Ye Hanbiao. His one son and three grandsons gradually developed and have been passed down to the present. It is the fifteenth generation of Ye Hanbiao. Ye Hanbiao came from a scholarly family. His descendants inherited the good family style of farming and reading, respected teachers and emphasized education, knew books and etiquette, and coupled with the outstanding people and the spirit of the land, the family has produced talents in generations, and there are more than 30 literati who can write poetry and paint. Among them, a plaque is still preserved on the door frame of Ye Xianmin's house in the village. It is a grace plaque awarded by Ye Zushan, the first scholar in the second year of Guangxu in the Qing Dynasty. There have also been monitors, students, increase students, and students, etc. The family has had three people serving as the county head of Fengchuan, and there are many outstanding people such as pilots and professors. The traditional Chinese culture is passed down from generation to generation. Most of the ancient Ming and Qing buildings in Yangchi Ancient Village have been preserved, some of which are already in ruins. Nowadays, most of the descendants of Ye's family have settled in the city, and only a few older people in the village still love the place where they grew up and are still sticking to it, which is a bit lonely. The centenarian who lives alone, her face full of wrinkles and sparse teeth are traces left by the years, and she has witnessed the long history of the ancient village. 📍Location: Yangchi Ancient Village, Luodong Town, Fengkai County, Zhaoqing City, Guangdong 🚗Transportation: Self-driving from Fengkai County is thirty kilometers away, or it is not far from Wuzhou, Guangxi. You can take a look at Wuzhou Arcade Street and taste paper-wrapped chicken, turtle jelly, etc. 💰Cost: Yangchi Ancient Village is open and does not charge admission or parking fees, just fill up the car with gas. 😅 👫Warm reminder: There are attractions such as Daban Stone and Hejiang Bi Dao Gallery in Fengkai, which can be visited along the way, all for free. Meals should be eaten in Luodong Town or Fengkai County. Yangchi Ancient Village does not have catering services. 😀