The ancient villages of Xidi and Hongcun are located in Yi County, Huangshan City in south Anhui Province, China. They are two outstanding traditional villages that have managed to keep their cultural integrity intact through many centuries of rapid change in the neighboring areas.
These villages were built by successful officials or merchants returning home from official appointments and business, and gradually developed into models of conventional Chinese village construction. Xidi was built almost 1000 years ago while Hongcun was established around the 15th century
The overall layout, landscape, architectural form, decoration, and construction techniques all retain the original features of Anhui villages between the 14th and 20th centuries. The unique and exquisite style of Anhui buildings is conveyed in plain and elegant colors, their gables decorated with delicate and elegant carvings, their interiors filled with tasteful furnishings. These surviving villages bear scientific, cultural and aesthetic values with their 600-plus-year history. They are rich sources for the study of regional histories and cultures