Hougou, Yuci

Hougou ancient village

synonym

Yuci Hougou generally refers to Hougou ancient village

Hougou ancient village is located in Dongzhao Township, Yuci District, Jinzhong City, at the junction of Shouyang County. With a total area of 1.33 square kilometers, it has 75 households and 251 people. The highest altitude is 974 meters, the lowest is 907 meters, and the relative elevation difference is 67 meters, forming a unique landform of Hougou village with crisscross ditches, slopes, walls and beaches. The history of Hougou ancient village can be traced back to 819 ad. the ancient village condensed the traditional Chinese agricultural civilization. Its farming culture, production and life showed the traditional self-sufficient civilization of ancient China.

From the end of the epidemic to December 31, 2020, medical workers across the country (including Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan) can visit the scenic spot free of charge with valid certificates.

Village characteristics

There is a village saying in Hougou: "in the middle of Longmen River, Erlong plays in Hougou village". The origin of Hougou village has no evidence. According to a Tang Dynasty epitaph found in archaeology, it is estimated that it was about 819 A.D. in the Ming Dynasty Tianqi year (1626 A.D.), it is recorded that "the age is far away, and the depth is unknown". Hougou village is dotted with ancient buildings, and the temple system is quite perfect. Guandi temple, Wenchang Pavilion, Zhenwu temple, Sanguan temple, Kuixing tower, Guanyin hall, Bodhisattva hall, mountain temple, River Temple, Wudao temple, etc. 18 temples and 1 ancestral hall are built according to Fengshui. They are built according to the location, and all the Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism are in the bag.

Hougou ancient village concentrates the traditional classics of farming civilization on the Loess Plateau and preserves the self-sufficient traditional civilization of Han nationality in northern China. The vernacular architecture is a typical cave dwelling in the Loess Plateau, which is characterized by the following characteristics: depending on the cliff, changing with the shape, overlapping kilns and courtyards, and unique diversity. The stone kilns, earth kilns, brick kilns, Mingquan kilns, earth digging kilns, independent kilns, interior and exterior kilns that echo each other form the unique natural scenery of Hougou village. The underground drainage system of the ancient village can be compared with the projects designed by the first-class water conservancy experts. Starting from the northeast and northwest of the village, it passes through the village, connects every household, and forms two systems of Huanglong and Heilong. It flows through the southwest and southeast water retaining outlets of the village and finally belongs to the Longmen river.

Hougou ancient village, with its complete drainage system, well-defined architectural pattern of kiln houses, majestic ancestral hall of Zhangjia, exquisitely carved ancient stage, self-sufficient production workshop, and storage system in case of emergency, fully shows the dominant position of clan power. It is a complete picture of northern farming civilization and living culture, which can be called "farming paradise".

cultural heritage

In November 2002, Mr. Feng Jicai, chairman of China Folk Artists Association, Mr. Wu bing'an, folklorist and professor of Liaoning University, Mr. Xiang Yunju, a scholar of folk culture, Mr. Qiao Xiaoguang, a professor of Central Academy of fine arts, Mr. Pan Lusheng, a professor of Shandong Institute of Arts and crafts, Mr. Li Yuxiang, a photographer of folk houses, Mr. Fan Yu and Mr. Tan Bo, all came to Hougou village to carry out Chinese folk art activities On the spot sampling investigation of folk cultural heritage rescue project. They agreed that Hougou village in Yuci is a rare historical and Cultural Heritage Village in China. It is a traditional classic of farming civilization on the Loess Plateau for thousands of years: spiritual belief, mode of production, state of life, traditional tools, and folk customs in folk culture. It retains China's self-sufficient traditional civilization, especially that of the Han nationality in the north, Simple farming culture, pure natural culture, traditional belief culture and flexible ecological culture constitute a complete folk culture system. In January 2003, the Chinese Association of Folk Writers and artists announced that Hougou is a sampling site for the conservation of Agricultural Cultural Heritage of ancient villages in the rescue project of Chinese folk cultural heritage.

scenic spot

Guanyin Hall

Guanyin hall is located on the southwest half cliff of Hougou ancient village, facing north from south, facing the Jade Emperor hall across the river, commonly known as the South Temple. The whole temple covers an area of 490.17 square meters, with 20 rooms of different sizes. It is composed of three parts: the mountain gate, the second floor of the bell and drum, the East and West Corridor rooms, the ear hall and the South Hall. It is a rectangular quadrangle hall temple, which maintains the architectural style of the Ming and Qing Dynasties and has a relatively complete preservation of brick and wood structure. The main hall of Guanyin hall is five rooms wide, and it mainly worships the statues of Guanyin and the God of wealth. The wood carving of dragon head and Phoenix beak in its Dougong is rare in folk temples. The dragon pattern on the eaves and the dragon pattern between the beams are excellent works of the Ming and Qing dynasties, which have strong characteristics of the times and high artistic value. The date of the construction of Guanyin hall is unknown, but according to the records of the monument rebuilt in 1626 in the sixth year of Tianqi of the Ming Dynasty, there is an ancient temple, which has a long history and no depth. Later, it was expanded and repaired several times during the reign of Emperor Kangxi, Emperor Qianlong, Daoguang and the period of the late Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China.

Zhenwu Temple

Xuantian Palace (Zhenwu Temple) is located in the north and south of Hougou village. It is the highest building in the village. It is opposite to the meridian of Guanyin hall and echoes the Kuixing tower on the hill in the south of the village. Xuantian palace, formerly known as Xuanwu temple, is the palace of emperor Xuanwu of the northern Zhengshen Antian. In Chinese Taoism, Xuanwu is a combination of tortoise and snake. It is said that Xuanwu was transformed by the stomach and intestines of emperor Xuanwu. Therefore, Emperor Xuanwu has vast supernatural powers and boundless Taoism. In Song Dynasty, "Xuan" was changed to "Zhen" because of avoiding the name taboo of emperor and ancestor, so it was also called Zhenwu temple in later generations. Xuantian palace was first built in 1643, the 16th year of Chongzhen in the Ming Dynasty. It was repaired in 1711, the 50th year of Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty. It was rebuilt in 1814, the 19th year of Jiaqing. It was also repaired in the period of the late Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China. It was destroyed in the cultural revolution and rebuilt in May 2005.

Ancient stage

The ancient stage, known as yuelou and Yueting in ancient times, is a place to reward gods and entertain people. This is an ancient building with brick and wood structure. Its front and back connection is natural and harmonious, the shape is stable and atmospheric, the hanging column is dark, the rail is clear, the eaves angle is gentle, the ear wall is simple, the brick, stone and wood carving are fine, and the curling shed top arc is extremely beautiful. It has high aesthetic value and practical value. The ancient stage was built in an ominous year, but from the perspective of the technology of some of its components, it was rebuilt no later than the Qianlong Dynasty of the Qing Dynasty in 1857. In the early period of the cultural revolution, it was partially damaged during the "four old" period, and was rebuilt in May 2005.

Mountain temple

Mountain God, originally derived from the natural worship of ancient ancestors, is the God who manages one side (seat) of the mountain area, and is responsible for mountain firming, forest abundance and grass abundance. In ancient times, there were many wolves and foxes, which often haunted the mountain villages and hurt children, pigs, sheep and livestock. Therefore, in the local folk sacrifice, there was another function for praying for the mountain god: guarding the mountain, patrolling the path, driving animals and protecting the people. Hougoushan temple was first built in 1711, the 50th year of Kangxi. It was relocated and rebuilt in 1814, the 19th year of Jiaqing. It was destroyed in 1963 and rebuilt in May 2005.

drainage system

drainage system

The drainage system of the ancient village starts from a high place, passes through underground tunnels, connects every household and corner, and finally discharges into the river outside the village. The reason why the ancient village is so well preserved has a lot to do with the ancient drainage system built by the Zhangjia clan.

Jiuqu Huanghe formation

In Hougou village, Fenyang City, Shanxi Province, there is a circular lamp array composed of nine ten thousand characters on the 15th of the first month of each year. It was passed down by Jiang Ziya in ancient times. There are 18 lamps, such as Ping'an lamp, fa cai lamp, Song Zi lamp, Qian Cheng lamp, proposal lamp, longevity lamp, Bu Bu Gao Sheng lamp, etc. it is a fun lamp array for people to pray for fortune, dispel evil and get rid of disease. It is reported that Qixian, Taigu and other places in Jinzhong Basin also have the custom of putting this lamp. The Jiuqu Yellow River array in Hougou village of Fenyang City has been listed as the intangible cultural heritage of Shanxi Province and Luliang City and protected.

delicious food

Jinzhong snacks have a unique flavor. The famous snacks include: Pingyao bowl holder, Tijian, Yougao, chumian, Yuci enema youmian, Maoer, Zhenzhu porridge, sliced noodles, bean curd, ramen, daobo noodles, saozi noodles, jiaopian and all kinds of foods with Shanxi local folk characteristics.

Residential buildings

The dwellings in Hougou ancient village are cave dwellings and semi cave dwellings. The courtyards include 32 courtyard dwellings and 78 courtyard dwellings. There are cave dwelling rooms in every courtyard, and there are many earth caves. The site selection is adapted to local conditions, and the orientation, height and other aspects do not do more destructive transformation to the nature. Almost all the courtyards in the ancient village are cave dwellings, but they all need to build a wing room, and then build a south room with inverted seats, forming a quadrangle, which constitutes a peaceful, harmonious and elegant living environment. Most of the courtyards open at the "Li" position. In the courtyards that open at the "Xun" position, some of the doors are opposite to the wall screen wall, and in the middle of the screen wall is a brick land shrine. In the courtyards that open at the "Li" position, there is an instrument door inside the door, forming a three entrance courtyard as a whole. The main house of the courtyard is a two hole or four hole cave, plus a heaven and earth hall shrine, which conforms to the architectural fengshui of "three room auspicious" or "five room auspicious".

The Fengshui aspect of the site selection of the ancient village is said to occupy the bionic image of "Erlong Xizhu". The village proverb says: "forty miles in the middle of Longmen River, two dragons play in Hougou village.". In geomancy, the visible basis is mountains and rivers, that is, mountains and water. Feng Shui Masters believe that "getting water is the most important thing, and avoiding the wind is the second". To get water, we can't do without rivers. To avoid the wind, we have to rely on the mountains. Hougou village is backed by yaoluo mountain, the branch of Taihang Mountain. Its main peak is 1342 meters above sea level. The mountain is undulating, like water, like ten thousand horses galloping, gradually moving away, like drinking on the Bank of Xiaohe river. The Longmen river originates from the hinterland of yaoluo mountain and flows down the mountain to Xiaohe river. Longmen water forms the spirit of four spirits in Hougou ancient village

Chinese PinYin : Yu Ci Hou Gou