One of two famous villages located near Huangshan, Hongcun is the more famous of the two because it has been used in several major Chinese movies. The village is gorgeous. I was afraid it would be a tourist trap because it became so famous after being added to UNESCO's World Heritage List. Happily, due to the administration of the village elders, the village has stayed a living village and has changed little. There are a lot of visitors every day, but they tend to stay on the main streets and to avoid them all I needed to do was go a street in and the streets were deserted except for the locals going about their business as they have for centuries.

Hongcun Village is famous for its two ponds. One is at the entrance to the village and runs the entire length of the village. It can only be crossed by the use of a marble bridge that runs only about a foot above the water with a traditional Chinese moon bridge located in the middle so boats can cross under it. The other is located in the center of the village. It is half moon in shape and is smooth as glass and reflects the surrounding buildings. It is gorgeous!

The houses in the village are in a fantastic state of preservation. They are all still occupied, many by the descendents of the original owners.

Each house is centered around a central courtyard which have been turned into a garden by the owners, who are extremely proud of them. Many of the houses are open to the public and as astounding. The village had several extremely wealthy businessmen living there during the Ming and Qing Dynasties and their houses reflect their wealth. They are breathtaking with every inch covered with beautiful carvings. The wealth of the original owners are boldly displayed on the main gates of the houses. It is the only real decorations on the exterior of the houses. I really enjoyed strolling through the village exploring it.

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