Yànyì Wéi

Top choice in Jiangxi


The jewel in the crown of Jiangxi's wéi lóng wū, this fascinating, 350-year-old, four-storey structure is the tallest of a number of crumbling old fortified residences in the vicinity of the village of Yancun. Mercifully, it has yet to be targeted by the local tourism industry, and is still lived in by villagers. You can wander around freely (be respectful of the residents, of course), and you can even climb all four storeys. The ¥10 entrance fee is rarely enforced.

To get here, take a bus to the village of Yangcun (杨村, Yángcūn; ¥12.5, 80 minutes, frequent) from Longnan's small bus station at 99 Longding Dadao, 200m from Binjiang Sq. The fortress is 200m from the main drag; cross the river and turn right through the arch.


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