Yongzhou Zhou Family Mansion 🏯

The National Historic and Cultural Village, Yongzhou Zhou Family Courtyard. From Yongzhou Railway Station, walk straight for about 100 meters to the bus stop, take the 306 bus (3 yuan) or the 301 bus (2 yuan) to the "Municipal Square" stop. The journey takes about an hour. After getting off, transfer to the green bus from "Huai Su Bus Station - Zhou Family Courtyard" at the same stop. The bus runs about every half an hour, and it takes 40 minutes to reach the Zhou Family Courtyard. The ticket price is 8 yuan. The Zhou Family Courtyard was built during the Ming Dynasty and has a history of nearly 480 years. It is the residence of the descendants of Zhou Dunyi, the master of Neo-Confucianism in the Song Dynasty. The entire village is composed of the old courtyard, the new courtyard, the Red Gate Tower, the Black Gate Tower, the Ziyan Mansion, and the Four Great Family Courtyards. The layout resembles the Big Dipper constellation. The architectural scale is grand, simple, and magnificent, with a profound cultural and historical heritage. Surrounded by beautiful mountains and waters, it is a rare cultural heritage site and has been designated as a "National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit." Many villagers still live in the courtyard, and they are warm and hospitable, knowledgeable and courteous. They work hard every day and live peacefully. In conversations with the villagers, it is surprising to find that some elderly people and village women have a wide range of knowledge and behave quite appropriately, truly worthy of being descendants of the great Neo-Confucianist master. The development of the scenic area is not very well done. Many antique courtyards, majestic gate towers, and exquisite carvings are slightly worn out. The villagers' explanation is "lack of funds." According to regulations, there is an entrance fee for the scenic area, but there are very few tourists, so there is no one guarding the entrance. If you want to see the grand mansions and exquisite ancient houses, you may be disappointed. However, if you just want to find a beautiful countryside to relax and explore the ancient mysteries, this is a place worth visiting.