Wangkou Village (汪口村), located in Wuyuan County, Jiangxi Province, is an ancient Huizhou village originally known as Yongchuan. It was established over 1100 years ago during the Daguan era by Yu Gao, a Song Dynasty official of the third rank. The village derives its name “Wangkou” from its location at the confluence of two rivers, with the clear waters giving it the name, which means “Mouth of the Wang River.”
Surrounded by rolling hills, the village is embraced by green mountains and flowing rivers. Since the Song Dynasty, Wangkou has been renowned for its rich cultural heritage and has produced numerous notable figures, including five Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations), two Juren (successful candidates in the provincial imperial examinations), seven senior officials, 36 civil and military officials above the seventh rank, 10 scholars, and 33 volumes of works. This has earned it the title of the “Village of Books.”
Historically, Wangkou served as a vital transit point for land routes from Huizhou Prefecture to Raozhou in Jiangxi, and as a key waterway connecting Wuyuan County to the northeastern regions, facilitating the transport of goods to locations such as Leping, Poyang, and Jiujiang. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the village thrived with bustling shops and merchants, reflecting its prosperous past. Despite the passage of time, Wangkou has preserved many of its historical relics, offering a glimpse into its rich heritage.
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Basic Information
| Estimated Length of Tour | 1 – 2 hours |
| Ticket Price | 55 RMB |
| Opening Hours | 7.30 – 17.00 |
| Telephone Number | 0086-0793-7410999 |
Location and Transportation
Wangkou Village is part of Jiangwan Town in Wuyuan County, Shangrao City, Jiangxi Province. It is located between 117°56′18.29″ to 118°1′50.16″ east longitude and 29°19′1.95″ to 29°22′51.61″ north latitude.
To reach Wangkou Village, you can take a bus from the North Bus Station in Wuyuan County to Jiangwan (江湾), Xitou (溪头), or Duanshen (段莘), which stops at the village. Alternatively, you can take a taxi directly to the scenic area.
Highlights of Wangkou Village
Yu Ancestral Hall
The Yu Ancestral Hall, located at the eastern end of the village, was built in the first year of the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty (1736). It is a key cultural relic under provincial protection in Jiangxi. Covering a total area of 1,116 square meters, the hall includes a garden and a school, and follows the central axis xieshan-style architecture. It comprises three main sections: the entrance tower, the main hall, and the sleeping hall, arranged in two connected courtyards. The front and rear sections each have five rooms, while the middle section has three rooms with a wooden arch ceiling and a stone-paved floor. The entire hall is renowned for its exquisite woodcarving, with intricate carvings on beams, brackets, roof ridges, eaves, sparrow braces, and camel humps. The carvings, using deep, openwork, and hollowing techniques, vividly depict figures, birds, animals, landscapes, flowers, and fruits.
Pingdu Weir
Pingdu Weir, located in the Shuikou River of Wangkou Village, is locally known as “Quchi Weir” due to its shape resembling a carpenter’s square. It was designed and constructed by Jiang Yong (courtesy name Shenxiu), a renowned scholar and phonologist from Jiangwan, Wuyuan, during the Yongzheng era of the Qing Dynasty (1723-1735). The weir is 120 meters long and 15 meters wide, with its southern end anchored to the bank and its northern end forming a right angle, leaving a 6-meter-wide passage for boats. Pingdu Weir ingeniously addresses the challenges of water storage, boat passage, and water flow regulation without the use of gates, making it a masterpiece in the history of Chinese hydraulic engineering. The completion of Pingdu Weir further boosted the development of Wangkou’s commercial docks. At its peak, Wangkou Village had 18 river docks for the transshipment of goods. Despite over 200 years of floods, the weir’s stone structure remains intact.
Guanlu Main Street
Guanlu Main Street was first built during the Daguan era of the Song Dynasty (around 1110) and flourished in the early Qing Dynasty. The ancient street runs east to west, forming a crescent shape, with a blue stone pavement stretching about 670 meters. Among the 340 ancient residences in the village, over 150 line this street. The buildings are all made of brick and wood, featuring white walls and black tiles, with two to three stories and three-section layouts. The old houses on Guanlu Main Street typically lack courtyards and are equipped only with storefronts, guest rooms, and kitchen facilities.
According to the “Wuyuan County Chronicle,” Wangkou was historically a significant water and land transportation hub where boats could dock. During the late Ming and early Qing periods, every household along the street operated a shop, and the area was bustling with merchants. Notable stores like Yufeng Tongmao, Yuelai Hede, Yufu Long, and Fafen Yuan were lined up one after another. Today, walking along this ancient street provides a sense of tranquility and a glimpse into the past commercial prosperity of the dock area.
