Shexian County

• Region: Anhui
• Region type: Province
• City: Not yet specified
• Destination type: Not yet specified

Shexian County sits at the foot of the Huangshan mountain range in southeastern Anhui and is widely regarded as the birthplace of Hui culture, one of China's three major regional cultural traditions. Once the seat of ancient Huizhou Prefecture, it preserves an unusually dense concentration of Ming and Qing dynasty architecture: memorial archways, merchant houses, ancestral halls, stone bridges and a largely intact city wall. Building scholars have called it a naturally formed classical architectural arts museum. Rather than a single monument, Shexian is really a living historic county town, with the Huizhou Ancient City at its core and satellite villages such as Tangyue scattered across the surrounding countryside. It offers a quieter, less commercialized alternative to Anhui's better-known Hui-style villages like Hongcun and Xidi.

Shexian County lies in the northeastern part of Huangshan City in southeastern Anhui Province, bordering Zhejiang Province to the east. It is the easternmost county-level division of Huangshan City and sits roughly 20-25 kilometers from the Huangshan City (Tunxi) urban center, with the famous Yellow Mountain scenic area itself around 50 kilometers further away. The terrain is mountainous, shaped by the Huangshan and Tianmu mountain ranges, and the Anhui-Jiangxi railway line runs through the county.

Shexian has a humid subtropical climate with four distinct seasons and substantial rainfall, averaging around 1,700 mm annually. Summers are hot and humid, with temperatures that can climb toward 40 degrees Celsius, while winters are cool to cold, occasionally dropping below freezing in the surrounding hills. June tends to be the wettest month, coinciding with the regional plum-rain season, so visitors should expect a real chance of showers in early summer. Spring and autumn are milder and drier, making the stone archways and whitewashed courtyard houses far more comfortable to explore on foot.

Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are the recommended seasons, offering mild temperatures and lower humidity for walking the old streets and outlying villages. April is particularly favored for pleasant weather, while autumn brings clearer skies and good light for photographing the archways and rooftops. Summer is hot and prone to heavy rain, and winter can be damp and chilly, though the town sees far fewer visitors then, which suits travelers prioritizing quiet over comfort.

The core of what is now Shexian was established as a walled prefectural city in the late Sui dynasty (581-618) and expanded during the Tang dynasty, with the surrounding county itself tracing administrative roots back to the Qin dynasty (221-208 BCE). For centuries it served as the seat of Huizhou Prefecture, functioning as the region's political, economic and cultural capital through the Ming and Qing dynasties. From the 16th to 18th centuries, Huizhou merchants based here rose to national prominence, dominating trade in tea, rice, timber, and silk and cotton textiles, and channeling their wealth into the elaborate residences, ancestral halls and memorial archways that still define the town. The county was also home to notable historical figures, including the Song-dynasty philosopher Zhu Xi and the Song-era printing pioneer Bi Sheng.

Shexian is considered the cradle of Hui culture, giving rise to distinct schools of painting (Xin'an), traditional medicine, woodblock printing, and the Hui architectural style seen throughout southern Anhui. It is also cited as the historical source of Anhui (Hui) cuisine, one of China's eight major culinary traditions. The town's memorial archways, in particular the seven-arch group at Tangyue, are rare surviving examples of imperially sanctioned Confucian commemorative structures, honoring filial piety, chastity, loyalty and charity; assembling seven such arches in one village required individual imperial approval and is virtually unmatched elsewhere in China.

Wander Doushan Street, a roughly 300-meter historic merchant street lined with Hui-style shops and residences. Walk sections of the old city wall and explore the lanes around Huicheng, the county seat. Visit the Tangyue Memorial Archways just outside town and combine it with the adjoining Bao Family Garden. Photograph the carved stonework of the Xuguo Stone Archway. Browse workshops producing Huizhou ink sticks and inkstones, a local craft tradition. Sample Hui cuisine, including hairy tofu and bamboo shoots on Wenzheng Hill, at old-town eateries. Take a slower half-day or full-day trip out to Yuliang, an ancient dam and fishing village nearby.

The Huizhou Ancient City complex forms the visitor core, including the Xuguo Stone Archway, an ornate eight-sided memorial structure; the former Huizhou prefectural government office (Huizhou State Office); Doushan Street's merchant-era shopfronts; the Hui Garden, an 18,000-square-meter classical garden; and the Tao Xingzhi Memorial Hall honoring the noted educator. A short trip outside the county seat leads to the Tangyue Memorial Archways, a row of seven Ming and Qing dynasty stone arches, and the nearby Yuliang Ancient Dam, a roughly 138-meter stone barrage across the Xin'an River lined with an old fishing village.

Most visitors arrive via Huangshan City (Tunxi), which has both an airport (Huangshan Tunxi International Airport) and two rail stations, Huangshan Railway Station and the newer high-speed Huangshan North Railway Station, the latter served by lines including the Hangzhou-Nanchang high-speed corridor. From central Huangshan City, Shexian is a short taxi, bus or car ride of roughly 20-25 kilometers. Local buses connect Huangshan's urban area to the Huizhou Ancient City and to outlying sites like Tangyue, though schedules can be infrequent, so many independent travelers hire a private car or driver for a full day covering both the county seat and Tangyue village.

The Huizhou Ancient City area is generally open from around 7:00 or 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and the Tangyue Memorial Archways keep similar hours of roughly 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Hours can vary by season and individual sub-attraction, so verify current hours/price before visiting.

General access to the old town streets is free, but the combined ticket covering Huizhou Ancient City's paid sites (including the Huizhou State Office) runs around CNY 48-100 depending on the package, and the Tangyue Memorial Archways plus Bao Family Garden are ticketed separately at around CNY 100. Prices vary by season and bundling, so verify current hours/price before visiting.

Allow about 2-3 hours to explore the Huizhou Ancient City core, and roughly one additional hour for the Tangyue Memorial Archways. Visitors combining the county seat with Tangyue village and Yuliang typically plan a full day.

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Shexian is regarded as the historic home of Anhui (Hui) cuisine, one of China's eight major regional culinary traditions, and local eateries along the old streets serve its signature dishes. Look for hairy tofu (mao doufu), a fermented specialty with a distinctive white fuzz coating that is pan-fried before serving, and bamboo shoots from Wenzheng Hill, a dish that originated in the county itself. Other regional specialties worth seeking out in the wider Huangshan area include stinky mandarin fish and Huangshan stewed pigeon. Restaurants and snack stalls cluster around Doushan Street and the old town lanes, and dishes are typically cooked with more oil and richer braising or stewing techniques than in other Chinese cuisines.

The Tangyue Memorial Archways and adjoining Bao Family Garden sit just north of the county seat and are the most commonly paired excursion. The Yuliang Ancient Dam and fishing village, with its roughly 138-meter stone barrage across the Xin'an River, lies within the greater Huizhou Ancient City scenic area. Farther afield, Huangshan City's Tunxi Old Street and the Yellow Mountain (Huangshan) scenic area itself are popular add-ons for travelers basing themselves in the region, along with the well-known Hui-style villages of Hongcun and Xidi in neighboring Yixian County.

The nearest rail hub is Huangshan North Railway Station (high-speed rail) and Huangshan Railway Station, both in Huangshan City's Tunxi District, roughly 20-25 kilometers away; the nearest airport is Huangshan Tunxi International Airport.

Shexian is a generally safe, low-crime county town, but visitors should still watch for uneven paving stones, low door thresholds and steep steps typical of old Hui-style buildings. Roads within the old town are narrow and shared with local scooters and small vehicles, so stay alert while walking. During the humid summer season, heavy rain and slippery stone streets are a real hazard, and heatstroke is a risk given high temperatures and humidity. As with anywhere in China, keep valuables secure in crowded areas and confirm taxi or driver fares in advance, particularly for trips out to Tangyue or Yuliang.

Comfortable, sturdy walking shoes are essential given the old town's uneven stone streets and thresholds. Carry an umbrella or light rain jacket, since showers are common, especially in early summer. Bring sun protection (hat, sunscreen) for the warmer months and layered clothing for cooler shoulder seasons and winter visits. A portable phone charger and offline maps are useful, as connectivity and English signage can be limited outside the main tourist core, and cash or a China-compatible payment app helps at smaller family-run shops and eateries.

Because Shexian sees far fewer tourists than Anhui's headline villages like Hongcun, visiting on a weekday morning gives a quieter experience of the old streets. Combine the county seat with an excursion to Tangyue village and, if time allows, Yuliang's ancient dam for a fuller picture of the region's Hui architecture. Hiring a local driver for a half or full day is often more practical than relying on public buses to outlying sites. Check whether individual attractions are sold as a combined ticket, since pricing and included sites vary between the Huizhou Ancient City package and standalone tickets like Tangyue.

National emergency numbers apply: police 110, ambulance 120, fire 119, and the national tourism complaint hotline 12301.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.