Shanxi Self-Drive Tour Stop 7 | Wang Family Courtyard, Zhangbi Ancient Castle.

▶️The Wang Family Courtyard was built by the Wang family of Jingsheng over the Ming and Qing dynasties, a period of over 300 years. It includes five lanes, six castles, and one street, covering a total area of 250,000 square meters. It is a museum of architectural art with Han Chinese cultural characteristics. The various architectural groups of the Wang Family Courtyard, including castles, lanes, courtyards, and ancestral halls, are scattered throughout Jingsheng Village, each forming an independent layout system. The brick carvings, wood carvings, and stone carvings of the Wang Family Courtyard are rich in subject matter and diverse in form. The restoration of the Wang Family Courtyard began in 1995. There are currently 231 courtyards of various sizes, 2,078 rooms, and an area of 80,000 square meters. It is known as the "First Residence of Huaxia Folk Houses" and the "Folk Forbidden City of China". P1-10 ▶️Zhangbi Ancient Castle is located in Zhangbi Village, Longfeng Town, Jiexiu City, Shanxi Province. It was built during the Sixteen Kingdoms period and has a construction area of 12,000 square meters. The entire ancient castle was built in accordance with traditional Chinese astrology and geomancy concepts, with the five elements of Yin and Yang on the ground and the six ren qi men underground. Zhangbi Ancient Castle is known for its "above-ground castle and underground tunnel". The ancient castle makes full use of the geographical advantages of being difficult to attack and easy to defend by relying on the mountains. It has a 3,000-meter-long, three-story ancient tunnel underground that is both offensive and defensive. On the ground, it builds a city and stores soldiers, making it one of the better-preserved castles in China that integrates military, residential, production, and religious activities. It is a rare ancient miniature "castle". P11-20