The village is well known among local people for its ancient buildings and culture. Now it's time to escape from city life and breathe some fresh air. (Photo: CNTV)

The village is well known among local people for its ancient buildings and culture. Now it's time to escape from city life and breathe some fresh air. (Photo: CNTV)

Mutouyu is a 400-year-old village located in northwest China's Shaanxi Province. The village is well known among local people for its ancient buildings and culture. Now it's time to escape from city life and breathe some fresh air.

This is Mutouyu Village, located on the side of the Yellow River in Shaanxi Province. It's used to be a busy wharf in old times, and from this ancient wharf, traditions and cultures from the outside world were brought into the village.

Jin Opera is very popular in the area, and almost everyone in the village can sing it.

Zhang Lanting, resident of Mutouyu village, Shaanxi province, said,"I'm good at Jin opera, wether the role is for a man or a woman."

Mutouyu villagers have realized the great importance of education since ancient times. That explains why there were so many elites in politics, business, education, as well as art and culture. Many families have kept the the tradition alive through each generation up to now.

In the village, there still remains 27 dwellings from the Ming and Qing dynasties. Different from ordinary dwellings on the Loess Plateau, the walls of the buildings in the village are embedded with wood to solidify the structure.

Fu Yongzhi, head of Mutouyu village, said,"This timber is from the jujube tree which only grows on the shores of the Yellow River. It is very hard. We injected it into the wall as a wooden pillar. It is equivalent to the reinforced steel bar set inside the wall."

Mutouyu is not only well known for its architecture, but also for its delicious food. Steamed potato slices are the main food for local people. Like this ancient village, the cooking culture here is also hundreds of years old.

But the glorious times of the village have already passed. Many ancient buildings are badly maintained due to lack of financial support. Old people say that they are uncertain about the future of this ancient village.

Source: CNTV