Roofs upon roofs reveal that the ancient town has endured the centuries.

The traces of time revealed by worn door lintel, old couplets and mottled wall bricks.

A small river winds through town.

Washing clothes in the pond is a part of daily life.

Drizzling rain hurries residents and visiting art students along the quiet streets of Huangyao Town.

Along the lower reaches of the Lijiang River, embraced by the lush mountains of northeast Shaoping County in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, is an ancient town named Huangyao. Formed during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), due to its isolated location this place was long on its own, separate from the world beyond. Today, thanks to modern modes of communication, easier vehicular access and increasing tourism, the world has come to know Huangyao. Yet, despite that greater exposure, the venerable town remains peaceful, still exuding a certain mystique.

Relying upon my expert guide, Yang Jin, I had the chance to look behind the veil of this ancient town. Yang explained that Huangyao was first built during the Wanli Period (1573-1620) of the Ming Dynasty, and reached its prime during the reign of Emperor Qianlong (1736-1795) of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). The family names of the townspeople were mainly Huang and Yao, so the place became known as “Huangyao Town.”

Huangyao covers 36 hectares and holds more than 2,800 residents belonging to 500 households. Most of its streets and distinctive structures took shape during the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty. The isolated location shielded the town from the impact of modern civilization and manmade degradation, and helped to preserve the ancient dwellings and historic landmarks therein.

The terrain of the town is in the shape of an irregular polygon. Surrounded by the Zhenxiu, Luoshan and Jiuhu Mountains, the elevation of the land runs higher from west to south. For many years Yang Jin has conducted research on Huangyao Town. He explained to this reporter that locals believe the winding mountains around the town are like swimming dragons, and are thus referred to as “nine dragons converging in a cave.” According to Chinese fengshui, the town lies against the “dragon mountain,” which indicates the place is endowed with abundant natural resources and talented people, and that the inhabitants will enjoy great fortune and good luck. Also, the peripheral mountains form a relatively compact enclosure which prevents this good fortune and wealth from seeping away. Thus, here is a good place to live.

There are eight grey and black slate streets here: Jinde, Yingxiu, Tianran, Zhongxing, Anle, Lianli, Longpan and Shanbang. The earliest section of the slate streets dates back to the Shunzhi Period (1644-1661) of the Qing Dynasty. The oldest boasts a 300-year history and has been etched by centuries of footfalls. Another 200-plus-meter street running from the East Gate Tower to Liuli Street was built during the reign of Emperors Kangxi (1662-1722) and Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty. More slate streets were laid to accommodate the increasing number of people immigrating and settling here, and the streets of Huangyao Town came to form a crisscrossing layout. “Most of the streets are in the shape of a Chinese character ‘丁’ , which implies a wish for family fruition,” explains Yang Jin.

The numbers of traditional Chinese architecture carry different connotations. Chinese people typically make use of numbers to symbolize good luck, respect and well wishes. The modest slates of Huangyao’s streets also feature this characteristic. On the main commercial streets, the slabs of slate are in odd numbers, like three, five and seven. The numbers reflect the importance of these streets, and the slates are incised into the same size, smoothness and plane. The number of slates fronting a household is often three, with some wealthier families having five or seven. But some small alleys and extensions of main streets are made up of even-number slates or gravel.

Water is a necessity of daily life and vital to the irrigation of farmlands, so the Chinese fengshui theory attaches great importance to water. It holds that it is good for the people if a river near their dwelling bends around. A curving waterway will hold fast the fortune of residents, while a straight flow will carry fortune away. Huangyao Town is embraced by flows of winding water, so, according to Chinese fengshui, Huangyao is an ideal place for people to live. On a practical level, water running peacefully along a winding channel will provide greater convenience for daily life. And so these rich natural resources gave birth to Huangyao Town, and sustained its development in this isolated environment.

Around town, alongside the streets and beside the ponds, are typically many students drawing and painting. Gu Zhenlei, teacher of Arts Design School in Hunan College of Science and Technology brought his 170 environmental design freshmen here to absorb the setting and practice their art. “We’ll stay here 14 days. The primitive natural environment and cultural ambience will be good to their future career in design.”

Huangyao Town continues to gain fame and more people continue to visit to experience its harmony of nature and people. Gu Jijin, proprietor of the Jinlanju Family Hotel, explained that many visitors, including increasing numbers of foreign tourists, stay over during the weekends. Still, most visitors come from places nearby, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Guangdong Province.