CHINA 5A TRAVEL
Walk the village as the ox it was designed to be — channel first, pond next, lake last — and stay for the evening. These notes blend official guidance with Mafengwo travelers' experience.
Suggested Itinerary
- Half day — The Ox Walk
Enter the west gate → follow the water channel → Chengzhi Hall → Moon Pond → South Lake Academy → South Lake bridge exit. - Full day — Two Villages
Morning in Hongcun's lanes and halls; afternoon in Xidi's archways and academies; back for South Lake dusk. - Overnight — Dusk to Mist
Afternoon arrival → halls before close → Moon Pond at lantern-light → dawn on South Lake before the gates open → Tachuan or Lucun after.
What to See
Moon Pond (Yuezhao)
The ox's 'stomach' — a half-moon of water ringed by halls; sit on the stone edge at dusk and let the village empty.
Chengzhi Hall
Nine rooms of carved wood — gold-leaf panels, lattice windows and a merchant's ambition in timber.
South Lake & Academy
The lake, its bridge and the lakeside academy where village boys once recited — the classic photo run.
The Water Channel
Trace the 'ox intestines' from hill to lake — the 600-year-old system that still clears every household.
Leigang Hill Viewpoint
The short climb behind the village for the rooftop panorama — tiles, gables and hills in one frame.
Xidi Village
The scholarly twin 20 minutes away — archways, carved doorways and lanes with barely a queue.
Photo Gallery
Tips from Real Travelers
Food & Drink
Huizhou Mao Tofu
The region's fermented-tofu classic — pan-fried with chilli, unmissable for the adventurous.
Lifen Noodle Bowls
Village breakfast of rice-flour noodles in broth — the inn-keepers' morning ritual.
Farmhouse Chestnut & Bamboo
Autumn chestnuts and mountain bamboo dishes in the courtyard restaurants.
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