Zhanggyuying Village

Author: He Linfu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-09-01
Features: Zhanggyuying Village is located on the western slope of Weidong Biji Mountain in Yuyang County. Experts believe that the scale of Zhanggyuying Village's architecture, its unique style, and its artistic beauty are worthy of the title "the Ultimate Village Under Heaven." It has existed for over 500 years. Five centuries ago, the Feng Shui master Zhanggyuying, seeking livelihood, brought his family from Jiangxi westward and settled here. He saw that the area was surrounded by mountains, with layered peaks, lush forests, and flowing streams, making it an ideal place to live. He built a home and established a residence here. Later, as his descendants multiplied, they formed a large courtyard with staggered towers, crisscrossing paths, interconnected roof ridges, and linked skywells. The descendants of the Zhang family named their settlement Zhanggyuying Village after their founding ancestor.
Zhanggyuying Village is crescent-shaped at the foot of the mountain, with the main house serving as the gate. It faces lush green mountains, and the Weixi River in front of the gate forms a natural defensive moat. A Tai Chi symbol adorns the lintel of the gate, symbolizing peace and prosperity for the entire clan. Inside the gate, there are two large ponds on either side of the courtyard. They represent the two eyes of a dragon, serving both as fire protection and for aesthetic purposes. The Weixi River winds through the village, with 47 stone bridges of various sizes. The walls and beams of the houses are interconnected, forming a layout where "streams flow below the steps, and doors face the water." A long corridor runs along the river, paved with flagstones, connecting each family's entrance and linking the alleys. The walls of the alleys are built with bricks, towering over 10 meters high. These high and thick walls are fire-resistant, known as "wind-and-fire walls." There are 60 such alleys in the village, crisscrossing and interconnected, with the longest alley measuring 153 meters. Together, all the alleys span a total length of 1,459 meters. Residents here can live "without sun exposure on sunny days or getting their shoes wet in rain or snow."
Inside the eaves, the round pillars are carved with Tai Chi symbols, while the beams below are intricately carved with delicate deer. The window lattices, partitions, and screens are mostly inlaid with carved panels featuring patterns such as magpies, plum blossoms, and fierce beasts, all vividly rendered. Among the more complete gateways in Zhanggyuying Village are the "Shangxin Layer," "Stone Gate," and "Pan Family Chong." These three gateways are oriented east, west, and south, respectively. The main gateways have high walls and thick eaves, with layered enclosures that are both self-contained and unified as a whole, covering a total area of 10,800 square meters. Each gateway, though of varying sizes and connected, consists of a "four-hall" structure—comprising an entrance hall, a meeting hall, an ancestral hall, and a rear hall—with three skywells formed by connecting side rooms and ear rooms. In essence, the entire architecture of Zhanggyuying Village can be seen as composed of countless "well" patterns. The halls are orderly arranged with corridors and skywells, displaying symmetry, harmony in form, scale, and decorative colors, reflecting exceptional architectural skill. The main building materials are wood, supplemented by blue bricks and granite. The largest skywell in the village is about 22 square meters, providing both light and ventilation. It features a granite flowerbed and an underground drainage system in one corner, allowing rainwater to flow directly into the Weixi River. The buildings on both sides of most skywells are symmetrical. The main meeting hall at the front is particularly tall, often reaching around 10 meters, keeping the interior warm in winter and cool in summer. Behind the main house are side rooms used as cow pens, pigsties, (firewood storage), granaries, and tool sheds. Elders and children gather in the skywell in front of the house to relax and play.
The people of Zhanggyuying Village have long upheld Confucian and Mencian teachings, emphasizing etiquette, education, filial piety, and respect for the elderly and children. They follow the rhythm of working from dawn to dusk, maintaining harmony within the clan. They do not oppress neighboring families from other clans due to their large population but instead foster friendly relations with neighboring villages, offering mutual assistance. Many elderly voluntarily help young people take care of children, enjoying family bonds. Even after working during the day, there is no phenomenon of closing doors and gates in the village.
The people of Zhanggyuying Village take education as a source of honor and illiteracy as a disgrace, a tradition passed down through generations. During the imperial examination era, over 40 people achieved official status. In recent years, 85 have graduated from universities, with some even earning doctorates and pursuing studies abroad. The villagers not only value literary pursuits but also excel in martial arts, with many mastering formidable skills. Professor Wang Shaozhou of Tongji University in Shanghai said: "Zhanggyuying Village represents the Han Chinese tradition of living in clans. It embodies the essence of traditional Chinese culture, grassroots consciousness, architectural art, and aesthetic tastes, holding significant value in both Chinese and world architectural history."