Hunan's Hidden Paradise - Goulan Yao Village

Goulan Yao Village is located in Lanxi Yao Township, Jiangyong County, Yongzhou City. It is a well-preserved ancestral home of the Yao people and a castle-like Yao village with beautiful natural scenery. The inscription from the 22nd year of Emperor Qianlong's reign (1757 AD) reads: 'Our ancestors once lived among ten thousand mountains, where the mountains are hooked and connected, the stream flows stealthily, and the color is as blue as an ingot, hence the name Goulan.' Goulan Yao, along with Fuling Yao, Qingxi Yao, and Gudiao Yao, are collectively known as the 'Four Great Folk Yaos' of Jiangyong. Goulan Yao Village consists of 'Huangjia Village', 'Shang Village', and 'Daxing Village', three natural villages. The overall layout is arranged according to the orientation of the mountain terrain. The village walls are built along the contours, extending to the waist of the mountain, and combine with the eight surrounding mountains to form a closed fortress. The walls are made of greenstone, with a gate in the middle and military facilities such as stone wall gatehouses built on the walls, making it a well-preserved Goulan Yao castle. According to statistics, within the village, there are four ancient streets, twelve ancient Yao paths, forty-four ancient alleys, over a hundred ancient wells, more than four hundred ancient inscriptions, over eight hundred meters of Ming Dynasty stone walls, over fifteen hundred ancient trees, as well as the Ming Dynasty constructed Wind and Rain Bridge, Yang Family Gatehouse, and Hui Long Pavilion, as well as the Longquan Temple architectural complex rebuilt during the Hongzhi period, and the murals of the Shuilong Temple in Daxing Village, all of which possess extremely high historical and cultural value. The village retains more than three hundred ancient buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties, with land altars, dance pavilions, song stages, and cool pavilions and bridges everywhere. It also has unique customs and folk traditions that have been passed down for years, such as the 'Mud Washing Festival' and 'Goulang Match'. The village boasts the 'Eight Scenic Spots of Goulan' including the Pu Li Well, Mountain Cave Hidden Retreat, Rhino Watching the Moon, Celestial Horse Sweeping the Trough, Stone Cave Spring Clear, Ancient Tower Bell Distant, Enjoying Eternal Wealth, and Rock Tiger Peace. These, along with the surrounding Chewei Mountain, Renping Mountain, Hulei Mountain, and Wangyue Mountain, form a charming landscape. From a distance, Goulan Yao Village is surrounded by mountains, with ancient trees reaching for the sky, undulating peaks, and green waters and hills, making the ancient Goulan Yao Village shine brilliantly, creating a landscape painting of 'ridges from the side and peaks from the front, with varying heights and distances'. Whether you climb high, descend, or stroll through the village, the green mountains, clear waters, green trees, dwellings, bridges, and ancient wells all present a pure natural beauty, giving the illusion of a paradise hidden from the world.