World Travel GuidesThe World Heritage Sites Homepage Ancient Villages in Southern Anhui - Xidi and Hongcun, China


  Compare Hotel Room Rates from different Booking Sites   Follow Me on Pinterest 









Xidi and Hongcun are two traditional villages in the southern part of Anhui Province, China. They are two rare examples of non-urban settlements that have largely disappeared or have been transformed by urban development of the last century. The well-preserved villages with their street plan, architecture and decoration provide a glimpse into the feudal period of Chinese society, a reflection of the socio-economic structure of a long-lived settled period of Chinese history.


Archway in Xidi, China
Archway in Xidi, China
Author: Rolf Müller (Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0)

Xidi and Hongcun were inscribed as World Heritage Sites during the 24th session of the World Heritage Committee when it met in Cairns, Australia, from 27 November to 2 December, 2000. In recognising the value of Xidi and Hongcun, the World Heritage Committee also recommends that the Chinese Government take steps to nominate other historic villages in Southern Anhui to extend the inscribed site.


Old houses in Hongcun, China
Old houses in Hongcun, China
Author: Jma (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported)

Hongcun village, China
Hongcun village, China
Author: Udo Schoene (Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.5 Generic)

World Heritage Site Inscription Details

Location: N 29 54 16 E 117 59 15 in Yi County, Huangshan City, Anhui Province, China
Inscription Year: 2000
Type of Site: Cultural
Inscription Criteria: III, IV, V

Location Map of Xidi and Hongcun


View Larger Map

Visiting Ancient Villages in Southern Anhui - Xidi and Hongcun

The best time to visit Anhui is during the fall/autumn, between September to November, and spring, between April and June. Your base for visiting Xidi and Hongcun is the city of Yixian. Hongcun is 11 km to the northeast of Yixian while Xidi is 5 km to the north of Yixian. You will need to take a minibus from Yixian to Xidi and Hongcun.

To reach Yixian, there are minibuses from the next big city, Tunxi. There arfe flights to Tunxi from main cities in China.

Return to China Travel & Hotel Guide
Return to China's World Heritage Sites
Return to World Heritage Sites






  • Tips to become a smart traveler: Useful tips to remember, to get the best out of your travels.
  • Preparing for a Trip: Systematic approach to help you prepare for your trip.
  • How to plan your travel itinerary: Step-by-step build to creating the itinerary for your trip.
  • How to compare hotel room rates: Learn to use a booking search engine to compare rates across all major booking sites.
  • How to pack your luggage: Useful steps to take when packing your luggage.
  • Packing List (PDF): Print out this free packing list to make sure you don't forget anything for your trip.
  • Voltage, Frequency, Plugs & Sockets of the World: Learn about the mains electricity supply in the world.
  • Travelers' List of Plugs and Sockets (PDF): Easy-to-use list of electricity and plugs for all countries.
  • Making International Direct Dail Calls: Learn to make IDD calls from anywhere in the world.
  • IDD Call Prefixes & Country Codes (PDF): Listing of Call Prefixes and Country Codes on one page for you to bring on your trip.
  • Safety Tips When Traveling Alone: Useful advice for when you travel on your own.
  • Guide to Health Matters related to Travel: Comprehensive coverage of different issues related to your health when traveling.
  • Getting Travel Insurance for your trip: Benefits of travel insurance, and advise on when you should signing up for one.
  • Improve your travel photography: Tips to improve your photography skills, especially when traveling.
  • Guide to Traveling Around the World: Useful tips for encircling the globe.


  • Find a hotel







    Follow Me on Pinterest

    Point - Click - Discover!

    Thanks for visiting this webpage. To continue exploring, choose another destination!


    My World Travel Guides - celebrating a beautiful world beautifully.

    Earning a living as a Happy Jobless Guy

    I am a Happy Jobless Guy! I am one of the few people who is fortunate enough to earn an income from my websites that I don't to go out to work. My sites get thousands of visitors every day. It has been a long process, but it is something everybody can achieve, and that means YOU. The following are some articles which you might want to read if you want to do what I do:
    1. Money Making Manual
    2. Create Your Own Money-Printing Machine
    3. Guide for earning a living without holding a job
    4. Generate a Sitemap for your website
    5. Complete Step-by-Step e-Business Building System