Escape the Crowds! Discover a 500-Year-Old "Living Ancient Village" in the Northwestern Desert

Tired of the crowded water towns of Jiangnan? Come to Huangyang Ancient Village in Zhongwei, Ningxia! This centuries-old village hidden on the banks of the Yellow River is less crowded than Hongcun and more vibrant than other ancient towns in Northwest China. Here, 500 years of history have solidified into a "Desert Version of Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival," allowing you to experience a truly "laid-back vacation." 🌟 When the Northwestern Desert Meets the Poetic Charm of Jiangnan Huangyang Ancient Village was founded in the Ming Dynasty. 3,300-year-old jujube trees surround the entire village. In spring, the jujube flowers are fragrant, and in autumn, the red dates adorn the branches. Even the air is filled with a sweet fruity aroma. Stroll along the bluestone alleys, with wildflowers dotted among the earthen walls and gray tiles. The old people sit on the doorsteps, basking in the sun, and occasionally the braying of donkeys can be heard – this is what an ancient village should look like. What's most special is that it combines the ruggedness of the Northwest with the grace of Jiangnan: the ruins of the ancient Great Wall and the beacon towers tell the story of past battles, while in the Huangyang Qianbian Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum, the national intangible cultural heritage dance "Huangyang Qianbian" dances out the agility of the Jiangnan water towns. 📜 Touch a Thousand Years of History in the Ancient Village • Living Fossil of Intangible Cultural Heritage: Make a bowl of national intangible cultural heritage "Haozi Noodles" with your own hands, and watch the inheritors pull the noodles thinner than hair. In the evening, gather around the bonfire to watch the "Huangyang Qianbian" performance. The 500-year-old shepherd's dance is reproduced in the firelight, and the sheepskin drum beats make people's hearts burn. • Rock Paintings and Grottoes: The Huangyangwan rock paintings on the back mountain record the life scenes of the Neolithic Age, and the Buddha statues in the Shuanglong Grottoes exude a mysterious atmosphere in the dimness, which are called "Little Dunhuang on the Silk Road" by the locals. • Drive on Highway 88: Drive through the popular Highway 88, with the Gobi Desert, desert, and ancient villages alternating before your eyes. At dusk, stop at the beacon tower to watch the sunset, as if traveling back to the border battlefield a thousand years ago. 📸 Secret Spots That Photo Lovers Must Check In ✅ Century-Old Jujube Forest: In spring, the tender green buds contrast with the gray walls, and in autumn, the red dates hang all over the branches. Any shot is a movie poster. ✅ Huangyang Qianbian Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum: Put on traditional costumes and learn a dance with the inheritors. The dynamic dance and the simple architecture collide with a different kind of spark. ✅ Beacon Tower on the Back Mountain: Stand on the ruins of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall, with the continuous desert behind you, and take a "Border Ranger" blockbuster with a sheepskin drum in hand. 💡 Outfit Suggestions: Wear an earth-toned long dress or Hanfu, with a leather belt, which is both elegant and blends into the environment. 🚗 How to Have the Most Fun? Classic Route: Day 1: Huangyang Ancient Village Intangible Cultural Heritage Experience (Haozi Noodle Making + Huangyang Qianbian Learning) → Highway 88 Self-Driving → Back Mountain Rock Painting and Great Wall Exploration → Stay at Trip.com Resort Farmhouse in the evening, barbecue under the stars. Day 2: Hike to the back mountain in the early morning to watch the sunrise → Jujube forest picking → Visit Shuanglongshan Grottoes → Take away a handmade wolfberry paste before returning. Transportation: • Self-driving: Navigate to "Huangyang Ancient Village," which is 30 km away from Zhongwei city, and you can connect to Shapotou and Tonghu Grassland for sightseeing. • Public Transportation: Take a bus from Zhongwei Bus Station to Zhongning County, and transfer to a scenic spot shuttle bus. Tickets: CNY 30/person, including a visit to the Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum; jujube forest picking, ATV off-roading, and other items are charged separately. Accommodation: It is strongly recommended to stay at Trip.com Resort Farmhouse. The white-walled and gray-tiled courtyard is perfectly integrated with the ancient village. The rooms are equipped with floor heating, and you can watch the stars on the terrace at night. ❗ Why Must You Come to Huangyang Ancient Village? Because here, you can't see the hustle and bustle of commercialization, only the rustling sound of old people making soles of shoes, the rustling sound of jujube trees in the wind, and the gurgling sound of the Yellow River. When the fast pace of the city is suffocating, Huangyang Ancient Village uses 500 years to tell you: the real vacation is to slow down your soul and find your own "poetry and distance" in the cooking smoke of the ancient village and in the drum beats of intangible cultural heritage. Before it becomes too popular, pick a day in autumn to pick jujubes, or come in spring to fly a kite, and feel the most authentic romance of the Northwest in the interweaving of the desert and the ancient village. Shapotou