A severely underestimated treasure of an ancient village, with a unique charm of Lingnan

🏮 Shangyue Ancient Village | The forgotten primitive Ming and Qing Lingnan ancient village 📜 Shangyue Ancient Village is located in Shangyue Village, Fogang County, Qingyuan City, Guangdong Province. It was founded in the Southern Song Dynasty, flourished in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and has a history of more than 720 years. It is one of the most complete and largest traditional residential building complexes in northern Guangdong. Most of the local villagers are descendants of the famous Southern Song general Zhu Wenhuan. 🏠 Most of the buildings in Shangyue Ancient Village are well preserved to this day, displaying a typical ancient architectural complex of Guangfu culture. The most representative of these is the 'pot-ear house'. The pot-ear house is a representative of traditional Lingnan residential buildings, mostly built with blue bricks, stone pillars, and slabs, with exquisite patterns of flowers and birds painted on the exterior walls. The name 'pot-ear house' comes from the shape of its gable wall, which looks like the official hat worn by Ming Dynasty officials. It is said that people built these buildings to bless their descendants with success in official examinations and to pray for 'wealth, auspiciousness, and abundant food and clothing'. Now, there are still hundreds of well-preserved pot-ear houses in Shangyue Ancient Village, which belong to the Ming and Qing Lingnan style. 🚪 Walking in the village, the most common sight is the three-character plaque of 'Gui Ren Li', which was an ancient method of population management. At that time, five families made up a neighborhood, and five neighborhoods made up a 'Li', each with its own gate tower and name, forming a community. The Poshan Zhu Gong Temple in the village worships the famous Southern Song general Zhu Wenhuan and his descendants who lived here. 🏞️ The natural scenery around Shangyue Ancient Village is also very beautiful. From a high vantage point, the village is surrounded by mountains, with clear waters and lush forests, and the village and farmland are perfectly integrated. In the evening, the rising wisps of green smoke make the whole village look like an ink painting. 🌾 There are still a small number of residents living in the village, whose lives still maintain ancient customs and traditions. Most of the villagers live on agriculture, cultivating crops and breeding poultry, leading a simple and peaceful life. In the evening, you can also see the elderly sitting on bamboo chairs, leisurely basking in the sun, enjoying the peace of the years. 🌈 Travel Tips 1⃣ The village is quite primitive, and there is almost no commercial support at present, so those who have high requirements for facilities should be cautious about visiting. 2⃣ The road into the village is a two-way single-lane road, which is somewhat narrow, so be careful and drive slowly. 3⃣ The best spot for aerial photography of the village is on the rooftop of a resident's house at the entrance of the village. The owner's phone number is hung on the building, and after calling, a grandmother will come to open the door. Since it is a private residence, there is a fee for going upstairs to take photos, with no time limit, but safety should be kept in mind. 📍 Address: Shangyue Ancient Village, Qingyuan City, Guangdong Province 🚗 Navigation: Shangyue Ancient Village Visitor Center, with free parking 🎫 Ticket: Free