Step back in time at Cuandixia village
If you are looking for a change of scenery during the upcoming National Day holiday but don't wish to stray too far from Beijing, follow your compass west out to the Ming Dynasty village of Cuandixia.
Tucked into the curved base of a mountain range, sitting some 90 km west of Beijing, Cuandixia offers a snapshot of history - a romantic vision of China that seems a world away from the skyscrapers, glitzy malls and deadlocked streets.
As the bus trundles out beyond the Sixth Ring Road, the high-rise buildings melt away and the western mountains begin looming into view. The highway snakes around lush and verdant mountains and when Cuandixia village appears, you'll feel like you've tiptoed back in time.
Cuandixia contains around 70 courtyard homes, which gently climb the slopes of a mountain, built by a family who migrated from Shanxi province more than 400 years ago. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the road that led through the mountains to the provinces of Hebei and Shanxi acted as a trade and passageway.
The residents of Cuandixia would open their doors to travelers and serve the passing trade. Over time, the village became forgotten as expressways and train tracks changed the route to the west.
However, a recent increase in popularity has lead to the village embracing its old tradition of hospitality and the locals are once again throwing their doors open to travelers wanting a bed for the night or a hearty meal.
Almost all of Cuandixia's courtyard houses operate as guesthouses, and double rooms for the night can be arranged for around 50 yuan.
Despite its recent rise to prominence as a tourist hot spot, the village still retains a rustic, lived-in air and hasn't succumbed to gentrification.
"These days, so many Chinese and foreign tourists know about Cuandixia and in the past few years there has been an increase in tourism," said Han Yongbin, whose courtyard house (the Xiangyao Guesthouse) has been in his family for 16 generations.
"However, we don't want Cuandixia to change too much and any houses that build extensions or are repaired must be done in the old style."
Organizing accommodation should be about as complicated as your plans get in Cuandixia. Strolls down the meandering lanes, exploring courtyards and peeping over the shoulders of art students sketching away should occupy the rest of your time.
The surrounding area also offers some simple yet satisfying walks. The mountain trail that wraps up and around the peak to the south of the village provides a dizzying view of Cuandixia and its surrounding jagged mountain range, which resemble slumbering dragons.
If you follow the pass further into the hills, after a few hundred meters the asphalt turns into a dirt road and runs through a cavernous chasm in the mountains. The hollowed-out gully looks like it served as a gateway to another world and reminds you of how imposing nature can be.
The temperature in Cuandixia is lower than in central Beijing and it drops sharply at night, so bring a coat. Night-time in the town is best spent sipping beer on a veranda, gazing up at the mountainous silhouettes.
As the village offers you the chance to see a clear night sky with little light pollution, wandering out to a spot without street lights is well worth it.
Beijing is making a headlong dash toward modernity and it's easy to forget that outside the urban environment lays a different world. A moment away in Cuandixia will leave you restored and refreshed, so you can happily return to the hectic pace of the city.
