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Wuyuan, Jiangxi Province
Wuyuan,
Where Time Stands Still
In ancient times, Wuyuan was
governed by Anhui. Merchants from this area spread throughout China
around 500 years ago, forging trade relations with dealers from Qingdao
to Qinghai. Such were their numbers and business acumen that in some
areas, they practically ran the local economy. Historical records show
that of the eight barons Qing Dynasty Emperor Qianlong received during a
trip to southern China, four were from Anhui. Anhui merchants went on to
dominate trade in China for some 400 years in terms of capital and trade
outlets. (Click
for full coverage.)
Countryside Scene
in Wuyuan
This is about the best time to
visit Wuyuan in southeast China's Jiangxi Province, when a trek in the
old villages in May offers refreshing views of hills covered in yellow
rape flowers, green farmland, exuberant camphor trees, creeks and small
rapids. Villages lie along small rivers, trees stand on riverbanks, and
old farmers leisurely drive ducks toward a pond, forming a typical
Chinese countryside scene.
Wuyuan has at least 50 old villages that
have remained almost unchanged over the last century. However, it is
known not only for its natural scenery, but also for its glorious past.
The remote county was home to some of China's top scholars, including
Zhu Xi, a Confucian master in the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), and
Zhan Tianyou, China's first railway engineer. It also produced some of
the country's richest merchants. (Click
for full coverage.).
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