Songyang, a county in Lishui, a city in east China's Zhejiang Province, is surrounded by mountains. Songyin River runs through the county, from west to east, into Oujiang River. Best known for its idyllic farmland scenery, time-honored history and ancient rural dwellings, Songyang is referred to as "the last secret place in the southern region of the Yangtze River."

Songyang County, founded in AD 199, was the first county in Lishui (called Chuzhou in ancient times). Songyang was Chuzhou's political, economic and cultural center in ancient times. 

Songyang Ancient Street, which extends more than 300 meters, was the county's trade and commerce center. The street was lined with more than 500 workshops and shops during its heyday. Now, it boasts well-preserved ancient buildings, which date back to the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing dynasties (1616-1911). There is considerably less hustle and bustle on the street nowadays, as the locals live much slower and quieter lives. However, some traditional craft workshops, including blacksmiths, cotton-fluffing and tinfoil-paper-making, remain in business. While walking along the street, visitors may experience the feeling of travelling back to the old days.

Historic Irrigation Scheme 

Songyang has a long agricultural history. The locals began to divert water to irrigate their fields during the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220). The locals built numerous weirs, dykes, dams, ditches and wells to draw water from Oujiang River. 

By the end of the Ming Dynasty, a complete irrigation system, consisting of 120 weirs and more than 100 ponds and wells, had been established in the Songyin River basin. Referred to as Songgu Irrigation Scheme, it had a total irrigation area of more than 11,000 hectares. That irrigation engineering still supports local industries, such as fish farming and tea and rice planting. 

As a model of ancient irrigation engineering for small and medium-sized river basins, the Songgu Irrigation Scheme was added to the list of the World Heritage Irrigation Structures, by the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID), in October 2022. According to ICID, it was "a remarkable irrigation scheme with impeccable engineering that has helped agriculture flourish in the region for over 2,000 years."

Traditional Chinese Villages Preserved

Songyang has many centuries-old villages, which are situated high on the hills or down in the valleys. Due to their geographical isolation, the traditional villages have preserved their folk customs and maintained a centuries-old style of farming. The villages, with abundant trees and dwellings with yellow-mud walls and black and gray roofs, retain an air of unhurried tranquility. More than 70 villages in the county have been added to the list of traditional Chinese villages over the past years. 

In 2016, Save the Ancient Buildings Project, initiated by the China Foundation for Cultural Heritage Conservation, was officially launched in Songyang, to repair ancient buildings in traditional villages, and to help villagers improve their lives. Since then, the villages have strived to develop local tourism, on the basis of protecting traditional dwellings. Now, the villages are must-see attractions for tourists, photographers and aficionados of architecture. 

Chenjiapu is one of those villages. Chenjiapu, embraced by green hills on three sides, is 800 meters above sea level. The mountain village dates back to the late Yuan Dynasty (1206-1368) and the early Ming Dynasty. It has a history of more than 600 years. In 2014, Chenjiapu was added to the list of traditional Chinese villages. In 2022, Chenjiapu was among the communities designated as scenic-spot-style villages in Zhejiang. 

In recent years, the village has taken advantage of its traditional rural characteristics when developing local tourism. In line with the concept of retaining the buildings' original styles and structures, the centuries-old buildings were renovated into high-quality homestays and culture and creativity bases. 

Librairie Avant-Garde bookstore, or "cliffside bookstore," is a must-see in Chenjiapu. Librairie Avant-Garde, founded in Nanjing (capital of East China's Jiangsu Province) in 1996, is a well-known bookstore brand in China. The outlet in Chenjiapu covers 300 square meters, and it has 30,000 books and related products. The bookstore is nestled on the side of a cliff, with breathtaking views of the mountains and valleys. Travelers can sit by the window and enjoy books as well as beautiful, idyllic scenery. 

The Huang Family Courtyard is a well-preserved, large-scale private residence that dates back to the late Qing Dynasty. During the reign of Emperor Tongzhi (1862-1875), of the Qing Dynasty, Huang Zhonghe, then the richest businessman in Songyang, began to build a courtyard for his family in Wujing Village. Later, Huang's son and grandson expanded the courtyard, successively. The existing courtyard was finally completed during the Republic of China (1912-1949). 

The courtyard has black tiles and white walls that evoke the tranquil beauty of a Chinese ink painting. The high walls, shaped like horses' heads, and exquisite wood and brick sculptures, are typical features of buildings in the southern region of the Yangtze River during ancient China. 

Photos Supplied by Tuchong

(Women of China English Monthly August 2023 issue)