Songxi Ancient Village in Pujiang is known for its unique 'underground river' built from stones

Two streams, one bright and one dark, flow through the village. A narrow and long pebble path connects 1560 ancient buildings... When it comes to the largest ancient village in central Zhejiang, Songxi Village in Pujiang is second to none. Common sense would suggest that in times when transportation and information were underdeveloped, such a secluded place, dubbed a 'Peach Blossom Spring,' would easily become a 'poor mountain valley with unmarried daughters.' However, Songxi Village has broken this curse, with many grand mansions from the Ming and Qing dynasties, whose original owners were mostly 'scholarly gentlemen.' Songxi Village has a long-standing cultural tradition, with many people changing their fate through education. There have been numerous well-known painters, poets, and scholars from generation to generation. Songxi Village is 23 kilometers away from the county town, with over a thousand households and a population of more than 3000. Originating from Jiguan Rock, the Songxi stream, bright and dark, passes through the village and then converges into one stream at the bridge pavilion to the south of the village. The village is named after the stream, with many buildings distributed along the banks of the bright stream and spanning over the dark stream. Architecture from the Ming and Qing dynasties, wall paintings from the Republic of China, and slogans from the Cultural Revolution... The 800-year-long historical scroll is engraved on the mottled stone walls, inlaid on the dark roof tiles, and written on the long stone alleys. Songxi is now recognized as a Chinese Historical and Cultural Village, a National Ecological Culture Village, one of the first batch of Chinese Traditional Villages, and a Zhejiang Province Characteristic Tourism Village. The greatest highlight of the ancient village is the magical dark stream. It runs directly underground, with large water access points at intervals. The dark stream is entirely built from black stones, spacious and cool inside, with crystal clear water and lighting facilities, allowing visitors to walk through barefoot. The construction of this 'underground river' from stones was an extraordinary feat, and the ancient people who designed this dark stream must have had superhuman wisdom and courage. If there is a torrential downpour, the clear stream instantly turns into the Yellow River, with raging torrents bursting forth with the force of thunder, rushing downstream. At such times, let alone a person, even if an elephant were put in, it would be immediately swept away without a trace. Hehe, on the day I visited the ancient village, I encountered the roaring Songxi. The plan to wade through the water had to be postponed. 📍Detailed address: Songxi Ancient Village, Baima Town, Pujiang County, Jinhua City, Zhejiang Ticket price: Free ⏳Time reference: 2 hours