Xiamen Xiang’an Xinwei Yuntou Village｜A Hidden Time Secret in Minnan Ancient Houses, Stepping into a Century of History

When the morning mist drifts over the swallowtail ridges of the red brick walls, the story of Yuntou Village awakens from the cracks of the bluestone slabs. This ancient village, tucked away in the northwest of Xinwei Town, Xiang’an, weaves a three-dimensional Minnan life epic with 46 Minnan ancient houses from the Qing Jiaqing period, the ripples of the Shuangkou ancient well, and the gnarled branches of century-old banyan trees. Every step treads on the texture of time. 📍Location: Yuntou Village, northwest Xinwei Town, Xiang’an District, Xiamen City 🚌 Transportation Guide - Public Transport: Take bus routes 713, 752, or other urban-rural buses to Xinwei Town bus station, then transfer to a local shuttle or taxi (about 15-20 minutes by car; it is recommended to check real-time schedules in advance and plan transfer times). - Recommended for Self-Driving: The alleys of the ancient village are more suitable for self-driving. Navigate to “Xiang’an Xinwei Yuntou Village.” Free parking is available at the village entrance and open spaces inside the village, convenient for stopping anytime to explore the ancient houses. ⚠️ Practical Tips - The village is open all day with no entrance fee. It is recommended to visit after 9 AM or before 3 PM to avoid the strong midday light, which is better for photography and experiencing the atmosphere. - Most ancient houses are private residences or protected buildings. Please do not enter without permission and respect local life and culture. 🏡 Must-Experience Check-in Spots - Century-old Banyan Tree and Ciji Temple: The century-old banyan tree in front of Ciji Temple is the village’s “living fossil.” Its mottled trunk hides the old times when villagers cooled off beneath it, and the swaying shadows are full of a sense of time. On the north side of the temple, over 120-year-old mango trees silently continue the Yuntou people’s gratitude to nature with their sweet fragrance. - Minnan Ancient House Cluster: 46 “kou”-shaped ancient houses from the Qing Jiaqing period spread along the hillside. The colorful paintings on the red bricks remain vivid, with door gods and flowers and birds vividly depicted. The three-section large houses are architectural living fossils, with 99 carved doors and windows each carrying meaning. Two Qing dynasty martial arts scholars once came from here. Inside, stone mills and martial arts training stones are well preserved, allowing you to touch the farming, studying, and martial spirit from a century ago. - Shuangkou Ancient Well: The village’s “internet-famous landmark,” the 18-meter-deep well water remains clear to this day. Two well openings stand side by side beside the rectangular well platform. In the morning light, grandmothers often wash clothes here, with the sound of wooden mallets unchanged from a hundred years ago. The nickname “18-meter ancient well” holds the life memories of the elders. 📸 Photo Guide - Ancient House Architecture: Shoot from a high point overlooking the cluster of ancient houses, capturing the orderly swallowtail ridges of red tiles against the blue sky, showcasing the symmetrical beauty of Minnan architecture. Get close to the red brick walls to photograph the painted door gods and carved window lattices in detail, where the traces of time tell stories. - Ancient Well and Banyan Tree: Use the well platform as the foreground beside the Shuangkou ancient well to capture dynamic moments of grandmothers washing clothes, or crouch by the well to shoot the reflection of the ancient houses in the water. Under the century-old banyan tree, lean against the trunk and stand sideways, letting the gnarled branches and shadows accompany you to create a vintage atmosphere. - Morning and Evening Moments: In the early morning mist over the ancient houses, use a telephoto lens to capture the hazy silhouette of the swallowtail ridges in the fog. At sunset, the slanting sunlight gilds the walls of the ancient houses. Stroll through the alleys then to capture the contrasting colors of red lanterns and red brick walls, full of Minnan charm. 📜 The Poetic Passage of Time in the Ancient Village The charm here is never deliberately crafted but hidden in the details of inheritance. The saying “There is wealth in Yuntou, but no Yuntou houses” sums up the unique status of the ancient residences. The ancestral instructions carved on the stone pillars of the Chen Clan Ancestral Hall, “Forever remember loyalty and filial piety, strive diligently in farming and studying,” engrave the spiritual genes of the Yuntou people. In the afternoon, you might meet craftsmen restoring ancient houses, running their fingers over brick carvings. In the evening, you can hear villagers chatting in Minnan dialect, children’s laughter passing over the bluestone paths, and the old banyan tree’s leaves gently swaying in the wind, as if telling farming and studying stories from a hundred years ago—where old and new blend, and time seems especially unhurried. 💡 Travel Tips 1. The ancient village has many mosquitoes, especially near greenery and wells. Be sure to bring mosquito repellent and wear long sleeves for safety. 2. Wear comfortable flat shoes or sneakers for easier walking on bluestone paths and village alleys, and to avoid bumps. 3. There are a few small shops selling Minnan snacks in the village to taste authentic flavors; it is recommended to bring drinking water for convenient hydration. 4. Please tour respectfully: do not touch the painted decorations or cultural relics casually, and do not trample the greenery in courtyards to protect the original appearance of the ancient village. 🏨 Accommodation Recommendation After exploring the village’s history, consider staying at Jinjiang Inn Pinshang Xiamen Airport Jimei Learning Village Branch to end your trip comfortably. The hotel is conveniently located, with smooth traffic back from Yuntou Village. It’s also very convenient for visiting Jimei Learning Village and nearby Xiamen Airport attractions afterward. The rooms are clean and cozy, with complete facilities to relieve your day’s fatigue, perfectly connecting the cultural healing of the ancient village with convenient rest, adding warmth to your Xiamen journey.