After Zaotai Village, we’re driving around the Huangshan (黄山) area, which is surrounded by dozens of historical towns, and we’re trying to pick the least touristified ones. Today we’re in Yuliang (渔梁村), a village dating back to the Sui Dynasty (1500 years ago). What was a mere settlement started to become really wealthy around 600 years ago, as the main port for Huizhou Merchants traveling through the country.
It’s the middle of February, and the river runs so low that we can walk on the riverbed.
The key attraction of the village is a millennium-old dam, consisting of hundreds of interlocked stones — all shaped by centuries of flowing water. The water level is only high enough to flow through the furthest gap, and we can nearly cross the entire river on the dam. The dam used to help for transport and military purposes, but right now though, a few ayis wash their mops and vegetables in the water — and tourists take pictures.
