Countryside Becomes Top Tourist Destination: Ten Traditional Ancient Villages in Xin'an County Showcase Natural Beauty of Rural Areas
In recent years, under the state's attention, China's countryside has undergone earth-shaking changes, with greening and beautification getting better and better, and development becoming increasingly rapid. Some traditional ancient villages have also radiated new vitality and vigor in this process. As urban residents' travel demand gradually releases, the countryside has become people's first choice for outings. According to data from the "2020 Report on the Development Status of Rural Tourism in China and Analysis of Tourism Users," from January to August 2020, China's leisure agriculture and rural tourism received 1.207 billion visitors, with revenue reaching 592.5 billion yuan.
The rise of the countryside not only drives the development of China's tourism industry but also promotes rapid local economic growth. In rural tourism, traditional ancient villages have become an indispensable part due to their long history and profound cultural heritage. Take the ten traditional ancient villages selected in recent years by Xin'an County, Luoyang, Henan, as an example. They not only showcase the natural and simple beauty of the countryside but also display diverse rural beauty to visitors with stone rollers, stone mills, stone houses, and more.
Take Wangjiagou Village in the northwestern part of Shijing Town, Xin'an County, as a typical representative of rural tourism. Wangjiagou Village is located at the junction of two provinces and four counties. The two provinces refer to Henan and Shanxi, while the four counties are Xin'an, Mianchi, Jiyuan, and Yuanqu. Because it is at the junction, the local residents' accents tend to be similar to those of Yuanqu.
According to the elderly in the village, the site selection for the village was quite particular. Based on the mountain terrain, the village was established where the mountain ranges gather momentum. The locals have a saying for the village's location called "Five Dragons Playing with a Pearl." There are five mountain ranges around the village, symbolizing "five dragons," and Wangjiagou Village is located where these five mountain ranges converge, reflecting the good feng shui of this place.
The core reason why the countryside is so popular among many tourists is that every village has its uniqueness—whether it's distinctive and unique architectural styles, profound cultural heritage, or unique folk customs. Wangjiagou Village's uniqueness lies in the stones everywhere. From the moment you enter the village, you can see various stones standing, lying, or half-buried in the soil, scattered like stars in front of and behind houses, along both sides of streams, and in the farmland.
Because it is difficult to move them, over time, the villagers have learned to live in harmony with the stones. They build houses against the stones, enclose stones in their yards as decorations, and even use stones with slightly flat surfaces as tables. Gradually, stones have become an inseparable part of the village. Since it is not far from the 4A-level scenic spot Daimei Mountain, many tourists, after visiting the scenic area, will drop by the village to experience the local customs and culture, chat with the elderly, and also taste the local villagers' homemade steamed dumplings (tangmianjiao) and糊涂面 (hutunoodle soup).
The rapid development of the countryside, while continuously boosting local economic growth, has also allowed some traditional buildings and folk customs to be well preserved and promoted. Under the drive of rural tourism, more and more "Xin'an Counties" will vigorously promote local traditional ancient villages, deeply explore local culture, and revive the beauty of traditional culture and the natural countryside!
