Huangshan Mukeng Village
The village, which is located on the western tip of Huangshan City, rests in a valley, which is six kilometers long. The village is a world cultural heritage site because of its folk culture and amazing architecture.
What is it like?
Mukeng Village is a remote village covered by bamboo forests where the ninja fight scenes in the movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon were shot. It is a 1.5-hour bus ride from Tunxi plus 25-minute walk to the mountain trail from the village’s gate. Although the hike is quite exhausting, the scenery on the way up is simply intoxicating. You’ll see endless seas of bamboo with their branches blowing in the wind.
Close to the high point, you can take the zip line that will take you across a valley in the forest for about 30 seconds. Although it’s fast, it’s not scary, as you’ll be sitting down in a chair.
The village looks like a giant maze at first. However, spring water streams are a sight to behold. These fill the fish ponds that every household have and nourish the tea plantations and vegetable patches found in front of the village. Residents use split bamboo trunks as water pipes that take the spring water directly to the village kitchens.
Compared to the houses found in other villages in Huangshan City, houses in Mukeng village are fairly simple. They have less decoration and are clustered on only one side of the hill. Stone slabs are used to pave the roads and to trace the hillside. These connect each household to its neighbors below and above.
Fast History
Mukeng is essentially one-family village. The 90 people who live there are all related to each other and bear the same surname – Fu. Locals are very welcoming and accommodating to travelers, living a simple and traditional lifestyle.
Where to Stay?
Although there are no hotels there, visitors have the option to stay overnight. Lodging is commonly negotiated with farmers who will be more than happy to supply clean sheets, home-cooked meals, and heated shower room. Many hosts also teach their guests how to prepare traditional Chinese cuisine. After the village was featured in the movie and after it achieved famed outside China, residents had to refurnished their houses for home stays.
Mukeng’ s Today
Although Mukeng village is more and more popular, it is still quieter when compared to Hongcun and Huangshan Mountain. Most of the visitors there are backpackers; huge packaged tour groups are very rare there.
Useful Information
Location: 15 km north of Yixian County, near Hongcun
Entrance fee: CNY 30/person
Opening Hours: 7:00-17:30
