Xidi

Xidi (西递; Pinyin : Xīdì ; literally : Relay of the West ), is a village of the south of the Chinese province of the Anhui. Jointly with the village of Hongcun, it was registered in 2000 on the Liste of the world heritage of UNESCO, under the denomination “old villages of the south of Anhui”.

The village, initially called Xichuan ( Rivière of the West ) because of the rivers which cross it, acquired its prosperity grace the Hu family, which settled in 1047 there. In 1465, this family launched out in an activity of trade whose success allowed a fast increase in the population, as well as the construction of important private and public buildings, like the bridges Huiyuan and Gulai. Starting from the middle of the 17th century, the influence exerted by the Hu family members extended from the trade to the policy. The prosperity of Xidi reached its culminating point with and centuries, with more than 600 residences, then started to decline towards the end of the Dynastie Qing, when the feudal system disintegrated.

The village, located in a mountainous environment, receives three rivers coming from the north and the east (the course of the Front , the course of Behind and the course Doré ), which meet with the Huiyuan bridge located at the south of the village. A main street and two parallel streets, connected by narrow alleys, cross it of is in west. Small open spaces give access to the principal public buildings, the such Demeure of the Respect , the Demeure of the Reminiscence and the Porche Memorial of the Governor .

The many residences built under the dynasties Ming and Qing are remarkable by their architecture, made up of a structure of wood and walls of bricks, and their splendid carved decorations. The majority of them were built along one of the three rivers which cross the village.

External bonds

  • Card of the World heritage
  • Document of evaluation (2000) Evaluation preliminary to the inscription with the world heritage realized by ICOMOS
  • Xidi and Hongcun: two jewels of Ming architecture and Qing of the south of Anhui (china.org.cn)
  • Article on Xidi and Hongcun (china.com)
  • Photographs of Xidi in '' Panoramio ''

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