Chuandixia Village is situated on an ancient post road in the mountainous area, 90 kilometers west of downtown Beijing. First built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), Chuandixia Village preserves about 70 courtyard houses built with stones and wood. They sit one by one following the terrain of the slopes in a valley. Chuandixia is also known as 'Cuandixia', though this name fell out of favor as the character 爨 (cuan) ceased to be commonly used.

The village stands along a former vital communication line, with convenient transportation to Hebei province and Inner-Mongolia, so the incessant stream of horses and carriages made it being a busy place during the Ming and Qing dynasties. But, part of the village was seriously damaged during the Japanese Occupation (1937-1945) and the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), the ruins are still visible there.

After the Reform and Opening policy of the started in 1978 and with the developments of railways, express ways and advanced mountainous roads, the village has lost its strategic significance its population has dwindled. The young villagers flooded into the city and moved out of the village. At present, there are only 14 families with more than 30 people still living in the village. Thus, the village has been preserved as if it were frozen in time, and has become a “living museum” in Beijing municipality. Recently, two major Chinese films have been filmed here: Cell Phone (手机）by Feng Xiaogang and The Warlords (投名状）by Chen Kexin.

Its natural environment and distinctive characters make the old post stop a popular tourism resort. It's a great treasure in terms of historical antiques, architecture, art and social studies.

Tours Including Chuandixia (Cuandixia) village:
Beijing Chuandixia Village One Day Tour

For photos of Chuandixia, click here!