9 of the Most Mysterious Villages in China: How Many Do You Know?
China boasts a long and rich history, harboring countless secrets. The stories behind these 9 villages might surprise you.
1. Zhelai Village, Gansu – The Roman Village of China
Zhelai Village in Yongchang County, Gansu, is home to a unique group of people who look quite different from the local residents. They have features such as blue eyes, deep-set eyes, prominent noses, and even blonde hair, with pinkish skin. It's said their ancestors were part of the mysterious "lost Roman legion."
In 53 BC, a Roman legion mysteriously vanished while fighting in Parthia, leading to much historical speculation. In the 1950s, British scholars hypothesized that this legion might have ended up in China, suggesting that "Liqian" in western China was founded by ancient Romans who had wandered there.
According to the "Book of the Later Han": "In the early Han dynasty, Liqian County was established, adopting the name of the country for the county." At the time, "Li" was how the Chinese referred to Rome. This has led many historians to speculate that Liqian City was where the Western Han dynasty settled ancient Roman prisoners of war.
To investigate further, scientists collected blood samples from 93 villagers. After two years of DNA and anthropometric analysis, the results revealed that all 91 blood samples submitted by the villagers were of Central Asian and Western Asian descent.
2. Fossil Village, Yunnan – The Village of Shanzhai Laoxudian
Fossil Village, also known as Shanzhai Laoxudian, is located 48 kilometers south of Shiping County in Honghe Prefecture, Yunnan. Experts have confirmed that the stones used to construct the villagers' houses are, in fact, fossils. This has led to its popular moniker, Fossil Village, though locals still refer to it as Laoxudian.
3. Hongde Village, Guizhou – The Village on the Cliff
In Hongde Village, located in Yingpan Township, Shuicheng County, Guizhou, trains offer the most convenient way to travel. The closest station, "Mao Caoping Station," is less than 2 kilometers away in a straight line. However, separating the two locations is a canyon known as the "Wumeng Great Rift," called "Dead End Road" by the villagers because the road from the village halts there and cannot be crossed.
Villagers have two options: take a cableway or use a bamboo pole bridge at the bottom of the rift. Many villagers choose to descend from one side to the valley floor, cross the bamboo pole bridge, and then ascend the opposite side. With steep, nearly vertical slopes on both sides, traversing this path takes at least 2 hours.
4. Stone City, Yunnan – The Unique Village on a Giant Rock
Stone City in Baoshan, Yunnan, is nestled within the Jinsha River gorge in Lijiang, where 108 Naxi families make their home atop a towering mushroom-shaped giant rock.
Founded at the end of the Song Dynasty and the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty, Stone City was designed as the first settlement for the Naxi ancestors in Lijiang, built to fend off bandit invasions. For centuries, no army has managed to take it by force.
With only two stone gates for entry and exit, Stone City is a formidable fortress. The houses are built in a staggered manner that follows the natural contours of the rock, forming a grand stone sculpture.
5. Zhongdong Miao Village, Guizhou – The Last Cave-Dwelling Tribe in China
Zhongdong Miao Village in Ziyun County, Guizhou, is recognized as the "last cave-dwelling tribe" in China and even across Asia. Within this cave, which spans over 100 meters wide and 200 meters deep, live 18 households comprising 73 Miao people. Their ancestors migrated to the mountains to escape war and settled in this cavernous abode.
6. Sandu Ao, Fujian – The Village on Fish Rafts
In the waters of Sandu Ao in Ningde, Fujian, fish rafts stretch for dozens of miles, covering over a hundred square kilometers.
These fish rafts host small homes, making it the largest "sea village" in China. Nearly ten thousand fishermen live here, subsisting on aquaculture. For most of the year, their life revolves around the sea. However, the prolonged life at sea and dense aquaculture have inevitably led to pollution.
7. Haikou Underwater Village – The Only Earthquake Ruins Submerged Underwater
Off the northeastern coast of Qiongshan District in Haikou City, beneath the waves, lie 72 "underwater villages." These were submerged by a rare earthquake during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty over 300 years ago. This makes it the only known historical site in China to have sunk into the sea due to an earthquake. Through 10 meters of water, remnants of the village's courtyards and uneven houses are still faintly visible.
8. Leigong Village, Meiling – The Village with the Most Lightning Strikes
In the scenic Meiling mountainous area lies a remote village that locals approach with caution—Leigongtan Natural Village.
Known as "Lightning Village," this area experiences frequent lightning strikes throughout the year. Statistics show that over the past twenty years, dozens of people have been struck by lightning in this village, with four fatalities and multiple instances of property damage, instilling a deep fear of "lightning" among the residents.
9. Jujing, Jiangxi – The Roundest Village
Nestled in Wuyuan County, Jiangxi Province, is Jujing, a quintessential Huizhou-style architectural village.
Jujing, the birthplace of He Rucheng, a prime minister during the Ming Dynasty, was established in the early Song Dynasty. Its design credits go to He Pu, a renowned feng shui master from the Southern Tang dynasty. Known as the roundest village in China or the "Bagua Village," it houses many historical relics. In the He family ancestral hall, there is a plaque that reads "Huangge Diaoyuan," meaning "to rise to the position of prime minister and oversee world affairs," bestowed by Emperor Chongzhen of the Ming Dynasty.