Dangjia Village
Dangjia Village, or Dang Village, is located in the northeast of Hancheng County,Weinan City of Shaanxi Province. About 1.5 kilometers west of 108 National Highway and 3.5 kilometers east of the Yellow River, Dangjia Village is the largest, oldest and best preserved ancient stockade village ever excavated in Shaanxi Province.
Dangjia Village was built in 1331 (Yuan Dynasty) and reached its prosperity period in the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368-1911). The village is mainly composed of people with surnames Dang and Jia, about 320 families and over 1,400 persons. It is also named Dang Village because people of surname Dang lived here earlier.
DangjiaVillage was constructedin a natural ground depression, which could hardly be discovered by people not knowing the region. Over the time it became a secure refuge for “Qin entrepreneurs”, who had to travel through the country for business, while their families had to be left back at this shelter. As these entrepreneurs were successful, also financially, esp. during Ming and Qing Dynasties, they had their “house yards” gradually constructed preciously in in the styles of these dynasties.
What to see?
During the reign of Emperor Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Hancheng was regarded as 'small Beijing' because of the Siheyuan (Courtyards).
Siheyuan (Courtyards) usually takes up an area of 260 square meters in rectangular shape; only a few are square. It consists of a hall, right and left wing-rooms and porters and is made to resemble a person with the hall as his head, wing-rooms as his arms, and porters as his feet. The hall was used to worship ancestors, while the wing-rooms and porters served as the living rooms.
Apart from the Siheyuan (Courtyards), many other fancy, unadorned, and zetetic ancient architectures can be viewed and admired here, including the Zouma Men, the Three Carvings - brick carving, stone carving and wood carving - the Chastity Arch (an arch erected in honor of a widow) as well as the zenith of the village, Wenxing Pavilion.
During the Labors' Day of 2007, the Ancestral Temples of Dang and Jia were rearranged, and the Culture and Art Exhibition Room and other tourist attractions were opened to visitors. Some folk-custom activities like weaving and spinning were also performed in Dang Village scenic spot.
Professor Charles of the Institute of Architects in Britain once said 'The oriental architectural culture lies in China, while Chinese traditional residential architectural culture lies in Hancheng.' Japanese Doctor Qingmu Zhengfu also praised Dang Village as the living fossil of the oriental people's traditional ancient village. Among the architectures, the Siheyuan (Courtyards) ranks first in popularity.
Travel Tips
1. How to get there: Take a bus from Xian Fangzhicheng Bus Station or Xian Bus Station to Hancheng Bus Station; or take an early train from Xian Railway Station to Hangcheng first. And then take a taxi or local car directly to this village, and it costs around CNY30.
2. Entrance Fee: CNY 60
Opening Hours: 08:00-18:00
Time for visiting: 3 hours
Add: Xizhuang twon, Hancheng City, Shaanxi Province.
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