Essentially these three “hamlets” or whatever are all the same place, yet this is China don’t forget and they like to confuse you. So in one small area they manage to call the area at least three different names.
We arrive in the main square on the village. For the purpose of this part of the report, this village will be called Yun Shui Yao. Above some street vendors.
The largest Earthen Building in the town of Yun Shui Yao itself.
Panny and I outside the impressive Earthen Building.
This monument has the names of the three different hamlets on it. We started in Yun Shui Yao, which has the post-fix Ancient Town on it.
Yun Shui Yao. We got dropped off here and were met by a tour guide. Panny and I both agreed the tour guide was very rude and terrible at her job. She was almost as bad as the wanker of a driver we had for the day. Panny and I actually had more fun on the bit where we walked round the village without her.
Street life in and around this Earthen Building.
The shopping street on Yun Shui Yao.
I was definitely the only non- Chinese person in town, very local in Yun Shui Yao.
One of the confusing sign posts that states that we’re actually in Meilin Town and the Yun Shui Yao is to the right, when actually we are also in it!
The wonderful Earthen Building. These Earthen Buildings were a feature of the day tour of Fujian Province.
In this Earthen Building at Yun Shui Yao we were able to go upstairs and walk all around it. People actually live here. This is their home and they don’t mind tourists.
The view from the top of this Earthen Building. They are impressive. Panny and I went in alone without our guide.
Panny and I inside this Earthen Building at Yun Shui Yao.
They are pretty, compact, homely, safe and well designed. I also got out my Northern Ireland flag for yet another travelling photo. That pretty much ends the part of the report on Yun Shui Yao the village part, onto Won Soy Yiu…
Now the thing about Won Soy Yiu (if that is really what it is called) is that it was used as a film set. It is a famous location, but only for Chinese films. The village already existed on the pretty river, and they added a few things to it for the backdrop for the films. This has made the area rather famous with locals, but it was lost on me. I loved the scenery though.
Panny enjoys the area by the bridge, behind the bridge is the main area used for filming.
Won Soy Yiu.
On the bridge that led from Yun Shui Yao to Won Soy Yiu. These places are basically the same town yet they have different names.
The flag flies on the bridge at Yun Shui Yao. I’d estimate that nobody has ever flown a Northern Ireland flag here before. I could be wrong…
There’s nothing immediately outstanding or impressive about the views or the village. The attraction here for film directors must be the fact that it’s a quiet village in the middle of the countryside where nobody would bother you and a film could be made quickly and without hassle.
Panny and I take it in turns to admire the scenery. I’m not even into films to be honest. I have been to a cinema screening less than 10 times in my life.
There was a big wheel – like an old mill, this was the centrepiece of the area used for filming. We weren’t actually allowed into that section of the village – maybe they were filming at the time or perhaps just renovating or preparing another set.
A few photos of Won Soy Yiu. I have looked on google and various websites for more information on it and I cannot find much. It really is not touristy for non-Chinese people.
After Won Soy Yiu, we walked along the river side through an area known as Guan Yang Cun.
This is Guan Yan Cun, or is it Yun Shui Yao or even Won Soy Yiu? Even though my booklet said it was Meilin Village! China, and especially here in Fujian Province is a confusing place to work out. It came as a huge surprise to see the sign of the village in English then, further along the waterfront.
The Mill in this village and the area has now changed its name to Guan Yang Cun. It was time to walk on the stepping stones on the stream.
A final photo of us each standing on a ledge at Guan Yang Cun/Won Soy Yiu.
I walked across the custom built stepping stones. The sun was beginning to come out, it was mid morning here in this quiet village and it really felt special and different.
It was at this point Panny and I realised how crap our tour guide was. She gave us very little information on the area and couldn’t even answer my question as to why the village had three different names. Panny came up with a theory that the different names are all for the same place, but more like the building in the street in the estate in the area in the village in the town. Therefore maybe the area was called Yun Shui Yao and it was in the village of Meilin. In turn the street of Won Soy Yiu is in the area of Guan Yang Cun.
Panny and I had to make do with taking photos of each other. The guide was unhelpful and spent most of her time talking on her fancy phone. And there was us thinking China was a communist country. The tour guide had a better phone than Panny and I have ever owned.
The flag on the river.
OK so our useless tour guide did get one photo of Panny and I together on the river, the one above.
A group of tourists came up just after that. All local of course.
We walked over the pretty cobbled stones and were in the village of Guan Yang Cun for sure. The building to the left in the above photo would be our next big attraction, the He Gui Lou Building.
The lady in black in the above photo is our woman tour guide talking to Panny.
Panny and I on the stepping stones.
Another walk along the stones at this famous film set. Curiosity got the better of me and I finally found the name of the film after a search online. It translates into English as The Knot!
And this is the DVD cover for one of the films made here at Yun Shui Yao. There’s some information on it here: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/yun-shui-yao-the-knot/
Ducks and swans swim in the river. I also found out the river is simply known as the Yun Shui Yao river.
The only English information board I saw concentrated on the Hegui Lou Building which was up next, before we went there we walked past an outdoor concert venue.
Some buildings in the village of Guan Yang Cun. nobody lives in these ones.
Guan Yang Cun entrance welcome sign.
The village of Guan Yang Cun. They all blurred into one for me.
A funky tree in Guan Yang Cun.
The outdoor music venue – music was pumping here from a stereo as we walked past.
Some more English on a signpost which kind of lets us know where we are.
An artist paints by the river.
We took a few more photos and then it was time to conclude of tour of this small area by enjoying the Hegui Lou Earthen Building.
Jumping for joy in deepest Fujian Province.
And this building is the only rectangular Tulou we would visit that day. It’s the Hegui Lou Building.
We crossed a pretty bridge.
A photo of our awful guide doing what she does best – ignoring her customers (us) and talking on the phone!
The small village leading up to the Hegui Lou Building has some mini shops still in construction.
This village next to the Hegui Lou Building is probably still part of Guan Yang Cun, but don’t be betting on it. It even has a post office!
Nobody in this region speaks English and I didn’t for once post my brother a postcard from here. Perhaps I will try next time I’m in remote parts of China, but I don’t have much faith in it reaching its destination.
A short walk along a wooden platform and we would be ready to explore another Earthen Building – the third one that we went into that day, and the only one of them that was rectangular.
On the way up to it however there was also a circular Earthen Building.
This is Hegui Lou Building. The largest rectangular Tulou/Earthen Building in Fujian Province. Our visit to it also ended our short morning walk through this area, which I will probably conclude to call it Yun Shui Yao.
What Is It – Three or four small villages all put together to form a town
Where – Yun Shui Yao/Won Soy Yu/Guan Yang Cun, Pushan Village, Meilin Town, Nanjing County, Fujian Province, CHINA
Someone Else’s Blog On It –
Key Song –
XIE CAI YUN – SHUI YAO NI LI CAI (courtesy of Google):
My Videos –
IN THE TOUR CAR FROM TIAN LUO KENG TO YUN SHUI YAO:
EARTHEN BUILDING AT WON SOY YIU:
GUAN YAN CUN VILLAGE: