A Visit to Hengxi Village, Zhengzhai Town

Hengxi Village in Zhengzhai Town, Pujiang County, Zhejiang Province, is a place with a very developed economic industry. The people here enjoy a very high standard of living, a relatively leisurely lifestyle, and a well-protected natural environment. Here is a travelogue of my visit to Hengxi Village, Zhengzhai Town.

Today, while guiding the creation of beautiful courtyards in the countryside, we passed by Hengxi Village in Zhengzhai Town. Everyone was attracted by the village entrance scenery, which consisted of rockery, ancient walls, windmills, and waterfalls, as well as the ancient camphor tree to the east. So, on a whim, we decided to explore it!

At the village entrance, the exquisite landscape and the ancient camphor tree, one east and one west, one rigid and one soft, guard Hengxi Village. The flowerbeds on the east side of the village and the walls of the houses are adorned with wooden landscape walls inscribed with “Asking about Pujiang” and Song Dynasty Zhou Dunyi’s “Ai Lian Shuo” (Love of the Lotus), filling the entire village with stories and poetry.

“Asking about Pujiang” and Zhou Dunyi’s “Ai Lian Shuo” Landscape Walls

Standing under the tree, surrounded by green leaves, it was as if a green canopy covered the sky. Following the gaze northward, on the riverbed of a stream, lay several scattered, giant rocks. The water flowed down the stream, making a gentle, tinkling sound.

Two stone arch bridges crossed the stream. One was a two-hole round arch bridge, used for present-day vehicle traffic, while the other was a single-hole arch bridge completely entwined by dense, wooden lotus vines. From the inscription, we saw that the bridge was called “Congma Qiao” (Steed Bridge).

My understanding is that “cong” refers to a good horse, and naming the bridge “Congma Qiao” should be related to the bridge itself.

Observing this stone arch bridge covered in wooden lotus vines from underneath, the bridge body, built with alternating stripes of blue and white stones, resembles the back of a sturdy steed. Therefore, it was named “Congma Qiao”. How this came to be, however, remains to be investigated.

“Congma Qiao” (Steed Bridge)

Riverbed Stream

Going to the right after crossing “Congma Qiao”, passing a gate with a Republican style (allegedly the former Tangtou Primary School), the view opens up suddenly. In the village, there is a lake, with houses, ancient trees, wooden pavilions, and the blue sky and white clouds reflecting in the water, creating a picturesque scene like a Jiangnan ink painting.

Walking on the stone path by the lake, the mind naturally relaxes. Going forward, various flowers and trees planted in front of each house by the lake are in full bloom in the golden autumn. Clusters of unknown flowers in full bloom suddenly awaken peaceful thoughts, then soothe the turmoil in the heart.

Passing a farmhouse gate, two water tanks planted with lotus flowers are on both sides of the gate. Several pots of brightly blooming rose-red Bougainvillea line the wall. Inside, numerous flower pots are arranged on the wooden fence, and flowers planted along the courtyard decorate the farmhouse courtyard beautifully. The steel art chairs placed by the fence create a truly beautiful atmosphere.

The former Tangtou Primary School

By the Lake

By the Lake

A few clusters of blooming flowers by the roadside

A corner of a beautiful courtyard

A corner of a beautiful farmhouse courtyard

Further ahead, as part of the Hengxi Village beautiful courtyard creation project, courtyards, walls, Chinese-style round doors, and ink-wash murals painted on the walls were preserved, renovated, and rebuilt, all relatively consistent with the overall style of the village.

A few bamboo leaves peeking out from a stone window, a large banana leaf stretching out at the corner, add an element of elegance to the entire environment. Walking into the village, several families have rows of potted landscapes placed in front of their doors, which was a surprise. In conversation with the villagers, I learned that these potted landscapes were all collected from the mountains by the villagers in their spare time and then crafted.

These numerous potted landscapes decorate the courtyards and corridors of several dilapidated houses exquisitely. When the villagers’ hobbies coincide with the advocated beautiful courtyard construction, I believe that in addition to beautifying the environment, it must also purify the human heart.

A few bamboo leaves peeking out from a stone window

A large banana leaf stretching out at the corner

A corner of a beautiful courtyard

Rows of potted landscapes

Rows of potted landscapes

Taking a full circle, arriving back at the village entrance, my thoughts once again return to Hengxi Village. These “cultural landscapes” and “beautiful courtyards”, together with the preserved cultural relics, complement each other perfectly. They not only enhance the cultural connotation of the entire village, but more importantly, they transform the process of creation into acts of beauty and thoughts of beauty. This is perhaps the fundamental reason for the beautiful courtyard creation in Pujiang.