Xidi Village: Huizhou Architecture and Visit Planning
Walk Xidi, a UNESCO-listed Huizhou village in southern Anhui: ancestral halls, carved houses, CNY 104 ticket, open all day and how to get there from Huangshan.
Contents
Xidi is a village you walk slowly. Whitewashed walls, dark tiled roofs and stepped gable ends line narrow stone lanes, with water channels running alongside. Together with Hongcun it forms the UNESCO World Heritage property Ancient Villages in Southern Anhui, and its layout, architecture and decoration are among the best surviving examples of a rural settlement type that has largely disappeared.[1]
What to look for in Xidi
Xidi is surrounded by mountains and built along and between three streams that run east to west and meet at the Huiyuan Bridge in the south.[1] Start at the Hu Wenguang Memorial Archway at the village entrance, a carved Ming stone gateway. Then let the lanes lead you. Qingyun Lane and the main street show off the horse-head gables, carved brick gateways and water channels.[2]
Several halls and houses are worth the detour:
- Jing'ai Hall, the main ancestral hall of the Hu clan, first built in 1600 and rebuilt in the early Qing dynasty.[3] Look for the "filial piety" plaque and the courtyard design.[2]
- Lüfu Hall, the home of a Qing-dynasty Confucian merchant, with a couplet that sums up the Huizhou merchant outlook: good at reading, good at trade.[2]
- Xiyuan, built in 1824 as the residence of a prefect,[3] and Taoliyuan, a garden and study that shows how Chinese garden makers make a small space feel large.[2]
For the whole village at a glance, walk about 10 minutes along the field paths behind the village to a hilltop platform. From there the tiled roofs spread out like an ink painting. The village also has a free folk-custom exhibition in some of its halls, covering Huizhou wedding customs and ink-making.[2]
Things to Do
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Choose Xidi, Hongcun, or both
Choose Xidi if the archway, ancestral halls, residential lanes and carved house details are your priority. Hongcun, in the same UNESCO listing, sits at the foot of a hill beside a stream that forms two pools, the Moon Pond in the village centre and a second to the south.[1] Both deserve a proper walk. Buses from Hongcun bus station reach Xidi in about 30 minutes.[4]
Getting to Xidi
From Huangshan North railway station, walk to the Huangshan tourist passenger centre and take the direct tourist bus to Xidi, about 1 hour. From Yixian East railway station, a local bus reaches Xidi in about 15 minutes. If you arrive at Huangshan West, change to Yixian East first, then take the local bus.[4]
From the airport, take a bus or taxi to Huangshan long-distance bus station, then a coach to Yixian bus station and local bus No. 2 to Xidi, about 2 hours in total.[2] From Huangshan city, take the same coach and bus. From the Huangshan scenic area, a direct service runs from the Tangkou transfer centre in 1 to 1.5 hours. Taxis and shared cars are available at Huangshan North, Huangshan West and Hongcun.[4]
If you drive, the nearest expressway exit is Yixian toll gate, 8.9 km away, then follow the signs to the car park or visitor centre.[4]
Tickets and hours
The village is open all day.[2] The visitor company's business hours are 7:30 to 20:30.[5] The adult ticket is CNY 104 at the gate.[2] Discounts come and go: in spring 2026, visitors aged 18 and under entered free on six days around May Day.[6] For discount questions, call 0559-5154030.[5]
You get a free guide map at the entrance, and paid guide service is available. Free public toilets stand along the main street and near the car park, and the visitor centre offers free staffed luggage storage for a limited time and paid lockers around the clock.[2] Prices and hours change, so a quick call helps if your dates are tight.
Make the visit comfortable
Everything inside the village is on foot, mostly on bluestone paving, so wear light sports shoes. The stones can be slippery, so skip heels. Bring a hat in summer and a light jacket in spring and autumn. Bring a water bottle: there are several free drinking-water points, and few shops. Do not touch the wood carvings or brick walls, and do not climb on the old buildings. People live here, so ask before photographing residents and respect closed doors. An overnight stay in a guesthouse inside the village lets you walk the lanes after dark.[2]
For the wider trip, use our China travel planning guide to explore other destinations and transport options.
Sources and background
Numbers in the text such as [1] refer to these sources.
- [1] UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Ancient Villages in Southern Anhui: Xidi and Hongcun. Retrieved October 23, 2026.
- [2] Xidi Scenic Area visitor website: 徽州西递古村落深度探访，感受建筑与历史的交融. Retrieved October 23, 2026.
- [3] Xidi Scenic Area visitor website: 景点介绍. Retrieved October 23, 2026.
- [4] Xidi Scenic Area visitor website: 西递景区出行指南. Retrieved October 23, 2026.
- [5] Xidi Scenic Area visitor website: 联系方式. Retrieved October 23, 2026.
- [6] Xidi Scenic Area visitor website: 门票政策. Retrieved October 23, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Xidi is one of two villages in the UNESCO property Ancient Villages in Southern Anhui. Its street plan, architecture, decoration and water channels are rare surviving examples of a rural settlement type that has largely disappeared. Highlights are the Hu Wenguang Memorial Archway, Jing'ai Hall, Lüfu Hall, Xiyuan and Taoliyuan.
Yes. The property is titled Ancient Villages in Southern Anhui: Xidi and Hongcun. Xidi lies along three streams that meet at the Huiyuan Bridge, while Hongcun has the Moon Pond and a second pool to the south.
From Huangshan North railway station, a direct tourist bus takes about 1 hour. From Yixian East railway station, a local bus takes about 15 minutes. From Hongcun, a bus takes about 30 minutes. From Huangshan city, take a coach to Yixian bus station, then local bus No. 2.
The adult ticket is CNY 104 at the gate. Discounts run at times, for example free entry for visitors aged 18 and under on six days around May Day 2026. Call 0559-5154030 for discount questions.
The village is open all day. The visitor company's business hours are 7:30 to 20:30.
Halls and houses such as Jing'ai Hall, Lüfu Hall, Xiyuan and Taoliyuan are part of the village's attractions, and some halls host a free folk-custom exhibition. A free guide map is available at the entrance, and paid guide service is offered.
Allow a few hours for the lanes, halls and the hilltop viewpoint. The visitor site describes a two-day, one-night stay, and guesthouses inside the village let you walk the lanes at night.
