Old & Water Town--Hongcun

Hongcun
Hongcun is located at the southwestern foot of the Yellow Mountain and 11 kilometers away from Yi County, is a peculiar ox-shaped ancient village in the peach blossom valley of the ancient Yi County. Lying in the Thunder Hillock and facing the Southern Lake, it covers 30 hectares, and enjoys the good name of 'Chinese village in picture' because of the beautiful mountain and water. The mountain is grassy because of the water, and the water is lively because of the mountain. In the shaoxing Period of the Southern Song Dynasty, people in Hongcun took the initiative in applying bionics by creating the unique artificial water system for firefighting and irrigation. They did everything according to the shape of the ox the winding dam is the 'intestine' of the ox; the 'Moon Pond' dug beside the mouth of the spring is its 'stomach'; the 'Southern Lake' is its 'belly'; the villagers lived in both sides of the 'intestine' are its 'body'. The sceneries of the mountain and the lake are in perfect harmony with layers of houses; the natural scenes and cultural implications reflect upon each other, -- the very uniqueness of the residence design in Hongcun, which distinguishes it from that of any other areas, and makes it as one of the wonders of the current World Historical and Cultural Heritage.