Hongcun | A Huizhou ancient village hidden in a painting, with mountains, water, and bridges reflected like stepping into an ancient painting

| A Huizhou ancient village hidden in a painting, with mountains, water, and bridges reflected like stepping into an ancient painting. 【Transportation】 🚄 High-speed rail direct access: Get off at Huangshan North Station → turn right after exiting to the bus center and take a direct bus to Hongcun (1.5h/30 RMB), get off at the West Gate parking lot, then walk 5 minutes to the scenic area entrance. 🎫【Tickets】 Adult 104 RMB (unlimited entry within 3 days), from June 9 to August 31, 2025, middle and high school exam students can enter free with exam admission ticket, each adult ticket allows one child under 16 to enter free. 🏠【Accommodation】 Homestays inside the scenic area, such as Old Street Moye (family-friendly, includes Huimo ink experience) or Shilili Qingmei Academy (infinity pool overlooking the whole village), around 200-400 RMB per person per night. 🥰【Itinerary】 Afternoon: First experience of ink painting scroll (14:00-18:00) Nanhu Painting Bridge: Enter from the West Gate and go straight to reach it, shoot the arch bridge featured in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," recommended spot is under the third willow tree on the southeast side of the bridge to avoid crowds and get clear reflections. Yue Zhao Lake: The "heart" of Hongcun, a crescent-shaped pond reflecting horse-head walls, lanterns light up at dusk, perfect for shooting ancient-style portraits. You can join tour group explanations to learn about the Wang family history. Chengzhi Hall: The "folk palace" of Huizhou merchants' mansions, focus on wood carvings "Fishing, Woodcutting, Farming, Reading" and "Hundred Children Lantern Festival," recommended to visit after 16:00 to avoid crowds. Evening: Taste of Huizhou (18:00-19:30) Deyue Building: The prime restaurant by Yue Zhao Lake, must-try stinky mandarin fish (88 RMB/portion), Mao tofu (12 RMB/portion), paired with fried eggs with five-leaf akebia. Tiandeng Canteen: Cost-effective, about 40 RMB per person for authentic farmhouse dishes, recommended bamboo shoot stewed pork and black rice. Night: Night tour of Hongcun (19:30-21:00) Light Show: Starts every night at 19:00 in summer, Yue Zhao Lake lights and ancient buildings reflect each other, 60 RMB per person to watch water curtain projection. Lantern Night Tour: Follow the night watchman to patrol the village (starts at 20:30), experience the ancient village night scene and learn about Huizhou folk customs. Early Morning: Ink Wonderland (6:00-7:30) Nanhu Morning Mist: Arrive at Nanhu Painting Bridge before 6:30 to shoot the mist-covered lake surface, recommended to wear plain-colored Hanfu or new Chinese-style dresses, paired with an oil-paper umbrella for better photos. Yue Zhao Reflection: After 7:00 when more people arrive, go to the southeast corner small gate of Yue Zhao to frame the entire lake and capture empty shots without people. 💖【Special Experiences】 Huimo Ink Making: Old Street Moye homestay offers Huimo ink gold painting experience (60 RMB/person, 1 hour), you can take home the ink you made yourself. Oil-paper Umbrella DIY: At Shouzhuo Garden scenic area, you can participate in oil-paper umbrella painting (120 RMB/person, 3 hours), experience intangible cultural heritage skills. "Hongcun · A Ju" Live Show: A large-scale water show by Qishu Lake, including lights and special effects, regular seats 158 RMB/person, advance booking recommended. 【Practical Tips】 🔸 Village silver jewelry and tea are mostly from Yiwu, buy cautiously. 🔸 Slippery bluestone roads on rainy days, wear non-slip shoes. 🔸 Painting season (March-May, September-November), take photos before 7 am to avoid student groups. 🔸 Recommended gear: lightweight tripod (for night shots), sunscreen, mosquito repellent. 💕【Nearby Connections】 Next day you can charter a car to Tachuan (2 km) or Mukeng Bamboo Sea (filming location of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"), about 20 minutes by car. 🌈 The essence of Hongcun is in the early morning and dusk; it is recommended to enjoy the ink painting scroll alone in the early morning and feel the dazzling ancient village lights at night. Combined with intangible cultural heritage experiences like Huimo ink and oil-paper umbrellas, you can deeply feel the poetic dwelling of Huizhou culture.