Huizhou Ancient City

Huizhou ('Hui' in short), a historical region on the boundary between today's Anhui and Jiangxi Provinces, consists of six counties - Shexian, Yixian, Xiuning, Qimen, Jixi and Wuyuan. Huizhou Ancient City is the core scenic area of Shexian County in Huangshan and features a distinctive local culture. It is also the birthplace of the Huizhou merchants, a famous business group in China that flourished in the late Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644). It is one of China's four well-preserved old cities, together with Lijiang Old Town (in Yunnan Province), Ancient City of Pingyao (in Shanxi Province), and Langzhong Ancient City (in Sichuan Province).
 

Map of Huizhou Ancient City (Click to enlarge)

Huizhou Ancient City is famous for its unique architectural style and Three Carvings since the old days. The Huizhou-style building is one of the most important architectural schools in China, using bricks, wood, and stones as the raw materials. Buildings were always adorned with elegant patterns. In the old town, edifices were neatly built along the ancient flagstone alleys.
 

Xu Guo Stone Arch, in the center of Huizhou Ancient City, was built in 1584 in honor of the local celebrity Xu Guo (1527 – 1596), a senior official in the Ming Dynasty. The eight-column arch is 11.4 meters (37.4 feet) in height, 11.56 meters (37.9 feet) in length, and 6.77 meters (22.2 feet) in width. It was made of large pieces of hard blue stone. Each stone weighs about five tons. There are carvings of dragons and beasts strutting on the top, and phoenixes and other rare birds flying between the stone beams in pairs. At the foot of the columns stand 12 stone lions in different poses.
 The State Office is the center of Huizhou Ancient City with a total area of 24,000 square meters (29,000 square yards). The complex is symmetrical along the central axis, following the typical architectural style of ancient China. There are five main constructions on the axis: Nanqiao Tower, Etiquette Door (Yi Men), Law Court, Second Court, and Magistrate Office.
 With a length of 300 meters (328 yards), Doushan Street is plough-shaped and contains old residences, sculptures, wells, and arches. It was the centralized living place of the local merchants. The most prominent families are Xu, Wang (汪), Yang, and Wang (王). Their homesteads are magnificent with elegant shapes and exquisite carving decorations.
 Yuliang Block played an important role in the hundreds of years of prosperity of this famous local business group. The port there was the only access to the outside world. There is an old dam by the river, measuring 138 meters (151 yards) in length. The bottom is 27 meters (30 yards) wide while the top is 4 meters (4.4 yards) in width. The old cobblestone-paved street winds about 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) and features old-fashioned shops and houses on both sides.
 Hui Garden epitomizes the Three Local Wonders: arches, ancient dwellings, and ancestral halls. The complex is baronial and well-arranged with white walls and black tiles. The carvings there integrate the essences of brick carving, wood carving, and stone carving (the Three Carvings).
 Tao Xingzhi (1891 – 1946), born in Shexian County, was a famous educator and revolutionary. The memorial hall was rebuilt on the old site of the Chongyi School and expanded twice afterwards to an area of 1,672 square meters (2,000 square yards) at present. There is a white marble statue of Tao Xingzhi in the center of the hallway. Documents and items introducing the life of this great man are displayed on the second floor.
 1. Take coaches in the Huangshan Bus Station (Tunxi Bus Station) to Shexian, and then take Shexian Bus 4 to Huiyuan.
2. Take trains to Shexian Railway Station to change to Shexian Bus 4 to the Huizhou Ancient City.
3. If taking a bullet train to Shexian North Railway Station, visitors can take Shexian Bus 1 to Lao Qichezhan and then change to Shexian Bus 3 or 4 to the ancient city.

Entrance Fee	Free to enter the ancient city. If you just wander in the town and don't enter the ancient buildings, the following combo ticket is not needed.
	Combo Ticket: CNY 95 Covering entrance fees of West Garden & Hui Garden, Yuliang Dam, Xu Guo Stone Arch, Tao Xingzhi Memorial Hall, Doushan Street, Xin'an Monument Park, and Taibai Tower in Huizhou Ancient City. Free for children less than 1.2 meters (3.9 feet) in height.
Opening Hours	All Day *Partial scenic spots in the town open between 8:00 – 17:00