Loushang Ancient Village

Nestled beside the Liaoxian River in the southwest of Shiqian County, Loushang Ancient Village is 15 kilometers from the county seat and 9 kilometers from the Guorong Township Government. It takes around 45 minutes to drive here from Shiqian County. Covering an area of approximately 4.2 square kilometers, the village consists of four villager groups, with 150 households and a total population of 547. All residents are of the Dong ethnic group and still uphold unique folk traditions, including folk song singing, funeral laments, wedding weeping and suona playing. Today, it has evolved into an ancient ethnic village integrating tourism, vacation, leisure, entertainment and folk culture exploration.

The village was originally named Zhaiji instead of Loushang. There once stood a two-storey building beside a ditch in the upper part of the village, with a long alley running underneath. Locals called the place Louxiang (Building Alley). Due to the similar pronunciation of the characters Shang (upper) and Xiang (alley), people gradually came to refer to it as Loushang over time.

All villagers here share the surname Zhou. Their ancestors hailed from Fengcheng County, Nanchang Prefecture in Jiangxi Province. The clan has thrived for nineteen generations, now numbering over 4,000 descendants.

The village’s profound cultural heritage is embodied in its age-old features. A vast grove of ancient trees, including crape myrtles, sweet osmanthus, red maples and cypresses, stands within the village. Experts have verified that these trees are more than 300 years old. The most extraordinary sight is seven maple trees arranged in the shape of the Big Dipper. Thousands of white cranes roost on these maples and never settle on other ancient trees nearby.

On the high slope next to the ancient woods stand Zitong Palace and an opera stage. First built during the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty, Zitong Palace enshrines four sacred statues. The opera stage dates back to the late Qing Dynasty and was specially built for puppet shows.

Built against the hillside and facing southwest, the village is laid out in the shape of the Chinese character Shou, which means longevity. All alleys are paved with bluestone slabs, flanked by rows of wooden houses with grey tile roofs, typical architectures of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Exquisite carvings of plum blossoms, dragonflies, butterflies and magpies adorn the wooden windows of every household, showcasing rich cultural charm.

Stretching from the front of the village to the banks of the Liaoxian River are terraced fields as smooth as mirrors. A path along the ridge leads to the river, crossing Nanguì Bridge, which was constructed in the second year of the Chongzhen reign of the late Ming Dynasty (1629).

Numerous ancient tombs scatter across the village, among which the tomb of a Wenlin Lang (a civil official title in ancient China) is particularly notable.

As a miniature of China’s rural historical culture, Loushang Ancient Village has been well-preserved for hundreds of years with its original features intact, drawing numerous tourists from all over.