Shexian County

Being the birthplace of the unique Huizhou Culture, Shexian County is situated at the southern foot of the Yellow Mountain, surrounded by mountains and streams. It covers jurisdiction of 13 towns and 15 townships with total area of 2236 square kilometers. Its county seat Huicheng Town was the political, economic and cultural center of Huizhou region in ancient China.

Shexian County was established since the first dynasty in China, namely Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC). In Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), with the development of commerce, the county was known nationwide and became highly prosperous. With its rich history and culture heritage this county is now a popular tourist site famous for its cultural relics, architecture and arts, etc.

Across the county, well-preserved ancient residential houses, ancestral temples, gardens, memorial archways and bridges can be seen everywhere, most of which were built during Ming and Qing dynasties and unique in China. Some of the most worthy visiting ones include: Tangyue Archways, Yuliang Dam, Taibai Tower, Doushan Street, etc.

You may also want to visit the Huizhou Cultural Exhibition Center that locates at the center of Shexian County around original Huizhou Governmental Office. It is a newly built theme park that reproduces the original appearance of architectures and buildings of Huizhou style in Ming and Qing dynasties. The park is opened to tourists since 2000 with strong ancient atmosphere.

Moreover, Shexian County is also a good place for tasting local Huizhou cuisine such as Mandarin Fish, Fried Odorous Bean Curd, etc. Local specialties such as honey date, special kinds of famous teas including Huangshan Maofeng Tea and Green Peony Tea are also popular among local people and tourists.