Jingping Ancient Village: Thousand-Year-Old Post Station Embraces "Slow Life" to Redefine Urban Leisure

Under the warm winter sun, friends and family gather around a rustic clay stove topped with a metal grate. They roast sweet potatoes and chestnuts while sipping warm herbal drinks or fruit teas, chatting about everyday life. In the ancient alleys and residential courtyards of Jingping Ancient Village in Zhongfang County, Huaihua City, visitors' leisurely moments are slowly warmed over the fire.

"As the weather turns colder, local shops are promoting 'stove-boiled tea' packages, and visitors are enjoying the tranquility and coziness of the ancient village," said Fang Yong, the operations manager. Pointing to the post station in front of a courtyard which is restored to its original charm, Fang Yong noted that just as this thousand-year-old post station once served as a rest stop for weary travelers, the "slow life" here is now attracting urban families.

On December 11, visitors gathered around a stove to boil tea and enjoy leisure time at Jingping Ancient Village in Zhongfang County, Huaihua City. (Photo/Zhang Zhuo)

Jingping Ancient Village was once a major post station on the ancient Beijing-Kunming Ancient Post Road. During the Northern Song Dynasty, the Pan family migrated here, transforming the thorny wilderness into a village. Today, multiple cultural relics remain here, including the Pan Ancestral Hall, the Chastity and Filial Piety Archway, the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) lanes from the Yuan and Ming dynasties, and architectural complexes from the Ming and Qing dynasties. Over a thousand descendants of the Pan family still live here.

"The ancient buildings are well preserved, the lanes are deep and quiet, and the old trees are lush. It makes you temporarily forget the hustle and bustle of the city, while preserving a unique 'lively daily life,'" said Zhang Wenjie, a resident of Huaihua City who has led friends from other places to visit the village many times. He noted that the village retains its original charm while selectively incorporating a few trendy businesses.

Jingping Ancient Village had long been an attraction without security, facilities, and renovation. In May 2024, taking the opportunity of the 5th Hunan Tourism Development Conference being held in Huaihua, the Beijing Tsinghua Tongheng Urban Planning & Design Institute carried out comprehensive planning and design for the village's quality improvement and renovation, tapping into its unique post road, ancient music, and folk culture resources.

"We want to preserve the authenticity of the village to the greatest extent, protect the living conditions of the original villagers, and use idle spaces to develop cultural tourism facilities," said Ning Zhaowei, the project leader. Apart from landscapes such as the ancient post road and the ancient ferry, renovations for cultural venues, casual dining, homestays, tea houses and coffee shops are only allowed in 15% of the village's courtyards, so that new business formats of cultural tourism coexist harmoniously with the authentic life of the original villagers.

Nestled among hills and waters, the ancient village combines "ancient charm" and "trendy appeal." Historical relics such as the Wuchi Post Road, the Bagua lanes from the Yuan and Ming dynasties, and architectural complexes from the Ming and Qing dynasties are full of vitality. Tea houses, a supply and marketing cooperative courtyard,  bars offering coffee by day and alcohol by night, antique-style photography studios, and intangible cultural heritage workshops offer something for everyone.

The traditional Chinese music and post road cultural experience hall, empowered by "culture and technology," offers an immersive time-travel experience. The masterpiece Dayue Yuanyin (The Prime Sounds of Great Music) by Pan Shiquan, a renowned figure of the Pan family, and the Zhongfang Post Station, which witnessed countless couriers galloping on horseback, are brought to life through 3D projection, mirror spaces, and light-and-shadow technology. Visitors can appreciate the new rhythm of "ancient court music entering ordinary homes" and also enjoy the fun of "time-traveling as an ancient courier."

On December 11, visitors explored Jingping Ancient Village in Huaihua, where ancient charm met trendy appeal. (Photo/Fu Jingyi)

Today, villagers have also become part of the village's development. Some work as guides, others run homestays or farmhouse restaurants, or sell local specialties like rice tofu and sour radishes at stalls. Some elderly craftsmen have joined the local market to teach intangible cultural heritage skills. Business innovation is intertwined with the rustic local life.

"Even during the off-season, we still receive about 50,000 tourist trips per week," said Chen Yanlan, the village's operations manager from the General Office of the Zhongfang County People's Government. The ancient village shuns noise and embraces tranquility. With its profound historical heritage and innovative experiences, the village offers people a harbor to escape the fast pace of life and rediscover the poetry of life. 

Chinese source: Chinanews