Chaoxi Ancient Village, Leizhou, Guangdong

Chaoxi Village in Leizhou is a village with a rich history and culture, dating back more than 380 years. The village was originally named Zaitaoxi Village and was established by the Chen family during the Chongzhen period of the Ming Dynasty. During the Qianlong period, the village was officially renamed Chaoxi Village because it was located on the banks of a river and had both tides and streams. Chaoxi Village is not only famous for its geographical location and natural environment, but also for its rich cultural history and architectural features. The architectural style of Chaoxi Village reflects the characteristics of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The village preserves a large number of ancient houses and diaolou, most of which are brick and wood structures with tile roofs, showing the characteristics of large-scale architectural groups in the south of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The scale of the ancient houses in the village reaches 14,469 square meters, among which the most prestigious mansion is Chaoyi Mansion, which is famous for its exquisite decoration and unique architectural style. The characteristics of Chaoyi Mansion include its "horse path", that is, a corridor that can be passed through at the roof eaves, running through the entire house, showing the unique charm of ancient architecture. The historical culture of Chaoxi Village is not only reflected in its architecture, but also in its talent. There have been many famous scholars in the village, including Hanlin Academy and many tribute students. These achievements reflect the tradition of Chaoxi Village's emphasis on education and culture. In addition, Chaoxi Village has also left a glorious page in the history of resisting Japanese aggression, showing the bravery and patriotism of the villagers. Chaoxi Village, with its complete traditional Qing Dynasty style and rich history and culture, has been selected as a national historical and cultural village, an ancient village in Guangdong Province, a historical and cultural village in Guangdong Province, and the first batch of traditional villages in the country.