Self-Drive Day Trip from Xi'an to Weibei Sunken Courtyard Farmstay: Red Tradition, Educated Youth Nostalgia, and Martial Arts Fitness

Two years ago I visited the sunken courtyards in Weibei. Recently, old classmates said there was a great one, so we planned a self-drive trip. After breakfast, we gathered and drove out from the Hancheng Expressway exit, heading directly toward Sanyuan and Fuping. About an hour later, via the Baomao Expressway, national highway, and a stretch of county and village roads, we arrived at Zhangjiayao Village, recommended by a buddy. The parking lot was nearly full, and upon asking we learned that today the "China Hongquan Exchange Conference" was being held here, with Hongquan masters from all over the country showing up to display their skills. We visited and wandered, hoping to catch the lively excitement.

First, we went into a sunken courtyard to look around. The terrain here is uneven with gullies, so it differed from other sunken courtyards I had seen. Originally, sunken courtyard dwellings were an ancient form of homes on the Loess Plateau. Back then, due to poverty and lack of technology and building materials, people would dig a large pit in the ground, and carve out several cave rooms in the walls of the pit to live in—forming a sunken courtyard. It was vividly described as "enter the village yet see no village; see trees but no houses; hear voices but see no people; only treetops peep out." With progress, this dwelling style was gradually phased out. However, the architectural culture it reflects and its witness to the evolution of human civilization are extremely precious. As tourism developed, sunken courtyards have been tapped for use, becoming well-deserved agritainment destinations and summer retreats. This kind of "northern Chinese" underground siheyuan is a unique structure created by folk wisdom to suit the local environment, said to have a history of 4,000 years. Here, due to the terrain, the sunken courtyard looks like the typical shape from above, but when you go down and view it from the side, it resembles northern Shaanxi cave dwellings. Moreover, some of these courtyards are connected by tunnels, making it easy to move from one to another.

At the same time, this is also a red tourism and traditional education base. It displays many materials and profiles from the Red Army period in northern Shaanxi, promoting and passing on the stories and spirit of those struggles. There are also many celebrity calligraphies and paintings, brewing, carvings, and other folk arts—evidence that this place hides hidden talents.

After touring a few large courtyards, we noticed a noisy, bustling crowd not far away. Following the stream of people, we saw a huge green carpet where a martial arts master was performing, with spectators seated all around and banners fluttering. Looking around, there were flowers and green trees, with rolling hills and a winding highway in the distance—like a paradise for leisure and martial arts practice. Nearby was a large farmhouse-style restaurant, a place for tea and rest; it seemed the martial arts conference lunch would be held there. We felt that as independent travelers, eating there might not be so convenient, so we hurried on with our tour and then drove to the next destination and dining spot.

In the surrounding courtyards, there were displays of old residences and objects from the "educated youth" era. Several of us were former sent-down youth, and the scene stirred mixed emotions—warm yet bittersweet—as we recalled many past moments and stories, lingering and chatting for a long time...

Then we drove about half an hour to the second destination, Baishe Village, where more sunken courtyards are. Entering the village was breathtaking: towering trees, shady paths, idyllic scenery with old lanes, clean streets, and fresh air—the ecological protection is excellent. It truly differs from other villages in the Guanzhong region: you see trees but no houses, and you enter and exit via tunnels. A villager told us that there are over 200 sunken cave dwellings in this village alone, and some have been converted into farmstays. Visiting a cave room sometimes costs a small fee—2 yuan per person, mainly for cleaning and maintenance.

Many sunken courtyard farmstays here receive guests. We randomly chose Xiaotong Farmstay, which had convenient parking, and walked down its sloping tunnel entrance. The host welcomed us warmly. Inside, flowers and trees were neatly arranged, and calligraphy and painting screens added elegance. The rooms were arched cave dwellings, fully equipped with a kang bed, table, electric fan, and bedding, and the calligraphy works reflected the host’s taste. It was busy that day, and the host adjusted to give us a cave room with a table. We ordered several local farmhouse dishes, and they soon arrived. Eating delicious food while chatting was absolutely delightful.

After lunch, we strolled through the village, then lay down on the kang to rest. The host told us that most sunken courtyards are similar, the ancient trees in the village are towering, and cave dwellings are especially cool in summer. He suggested we come back during the hottest period to escape the heat—it’s wonderfully cool and comfortable. If there aren’t many guests and it won’t affect business, we could rest longer on the kang for free, or even play cards in the cave for fun.

After the nap, we drove back home to Xi’an by the same route. The meal cost averaged 40 yuan per person, fuel and tolls about 60 yuan, totaling around 100 yuan per person. Our classmates eagerly covered the expenses, which made me feel a bit embarrassed. This trip with old classmates was truly lighthearted, enjoyable, and worthwhile!