The Time Imprint of Huizhou Ancient Villages

Huizhou ancient villages are like ink paintings carefully dyed with ink, elegant and full of charm, exuding a kind of beauty of tranquility and distance. It is not only a treasure of natural scenery, but also a treasure house of human history. This ancient land, with its unique mountains and rivers, architecture and profound cultural heritage, has become a holy place in the hearts of countless people. The most striking thing about Huizhou ancient villages is the well-preserved Huizhou-style architecture. These houses mostly use blue bricks and black tiles, with flying eaves and corners, which not only reflect the aura of the water towns in the south of the Yangtze River, but also retain the stability and elegance of northern architecture. Pieces of blue tiles are neatly arranged on the roof like fish scales, shining with a faint luster under the sunlight, as if telling the story of time. The white walls, after wind and rain, are still as clean as snow, and complement each other with the blue tiles, forming the most classic color combination of Huizhou architecture, simple and atmospheric. Horsehead walls are undoubtedly one of the most unique sights in Huizhou architecture. They are staggered in height, resembling galloping horses or undulating mountains, giving people a strong visual impact. Against the backdrop of the blue sky, the outline of the horsehead wall is clearer and more distinct, and the black roof ridge lines are smooth, as if they were sketched by a painter. The horsehead wall is cleverly combined with elements such as patios and wooden carved window grilles, which are not only beautiful and generous, but also have extremely high practical value. For example, the design of the patio can not only ensure sufficient indoor lighting, but also effectively dehumidify and ventilate, which is very suitable for the local climate conditions. The streets and alleys in the ancient village are mostly paved with bluestone slabs. These bluestone slabs, after being trampled by countless people, have long become as smooth as a mirror. They meander through the ancient dwellings, like a vein of history, connecting the past and the present. Walking on the bluestone road, the sound of your own footsteps echoes in the quiet streets and alleys, as if you can hear the whispers of time and feel the tranquility and peace of the ancient village. Huizhou is not only beautiful, but also a place full of stories. This was once the birthplace of Huizhou merchants. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, many Huizhou merchants created brilliant business empires with their wisdom and courage. Their success not only brought about the accumulation of wealth, but more importantly, promoted cultural exchange and development. Intangible cultural heritages such as Huizhou opera, Huizhou cuisine, and Huizhou ink are still active in people's lives today and have become an important part of Huizhou culture. In addition, Huizhou is also the hometown of Zhu Xi and many other scholars. The strong academic atmosphere has made it one of the centers of Neo-Confucianism in the Song and Ming dynasties, which has had a profound impact on future generations. Family culture occupies a vital position in the development of Huizhou ancient villages. In every ancient village, there is one or more ancestral halls, which are the spiritual core of the family. The ancestral hall is large in scale and magnificent in momentum, and the interior decoration is exquisite. From the plaques and couplets of the ancestral hall to the records of the genealogy, they all tell in detail the development context of the family, the celebrities of the past dynasties, and the values and philosophy of life of the family. For example, couplets such as "Hundreds of years of family are nothing more than accumulating goodness, and the best thing is to read" fully reflect the importance of Huizhou people on reading and accumulating goodness. The elders of the family will admonish and educate the younger generation in the ancestral hall, pass on the family rules and traditions, so that the family culture can be passed on from generation to generation. Huizhou ancient village is a flowing picture scroll, which perfectly integrates the beauty of nature and the charm of humanity, allowing people to appreciate and deeply appreciate the unique charm of Chinese civilization. As time goes by, although many things are changing, Huizhou ancient villages always retain their original beauty and tranquility, waiting for everyone who desires to find a home for their soul to visit. Here, you can slow down, listen to the wind, feel those stories that have been passed down for thousands of years, and experience a simple and pure way of life.