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Travel Info
image of people on a boat in the Three Gorges area of the Changjiang river area

See the 三峡Three Gorges of the 长江Changjiang (Yangzi) River between 重庆市Chongqing city and 宜昌Yichang.

image of a group of houses across a lake in hongcun villageimage of buildings in xidi village

Walk through anhui's pleasant villages that has over 400 years of history. See the idyllic villages of 西递Xidi, 宏村Hongcun, 南屏Nanping, and 关麓Guanlu.

常家庄园Chang Family's Compound

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     常家庄园 Chang Family's Compound

    The main entrance tower to the manor and large garden.

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     常家庄园 Chang Family's Compound

    A closer view of the main entrance tower.

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     常家庄园 Chang Family's Compound
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     常家庄园 - 观稼阁 Chang Family's Compound - Guanjiage Pavillion

    The large pavillion overlooking the private lake.

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     常家庄园 - 观稼阁 Chang Family's Compound - Guanjiage Pavillion

    A closer view of the large pavillion overlooking the private lake.

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     常家庄园 Chang Family's Compound

    Toward the end of a long road leading from the entrance.

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     常家庄园 - 石芸轩书院一角 Chang Family's Compound - Shiyunxuan Library

    The library consist of several hallways of carved calligraphy carved on stone slabs attached to the walls.

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     常家庄园 - 石芸轩书院一角 Chang Family's Compound - Shiyunxuan Library

    The library consist of several hallways of carved calligraphy carved on stone slabs attached to the walls.

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     常家庄园 - 石芸轩书院一角 Chang Family's Compound - Shiyunxuan Library

    The library consist of several hallways of carved calligraphy carved on stone slabs attached to the walls.

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     常家庄园 - 石芸轩书院一角 Chang Family's Compound - Shiyunxuan Library

    The library consist of several hallways of carved calligraphy carved on stone slabs attached to the walls.

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     常家庄园 - 石芸轩书院一角 Chang Family's Compound - Shiyunxuan Library

    The library consist of several hallways of carved calligraphy carved on stone slabs attached to the walls.

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     常家庄园 - 石芸轩法帖 Chang Family's Compound - Shiyunxuan Library

    The library consist of several hallways of carved calligraphy carved on stone slabs attached to the walls.

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     常家庄园 Chang Family's Compound

    The surrounding walls outside the main entrance with the moulded calligraphic characters.

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     常家庄园 - 影壁 Chang Family's Compound

    One of the many designed (or imaged) walls.

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     常家庄园 - 影壁 Chang Family's Compound

    One of the many designed (or imaged) walls carved out of bricks. 砖雕brick carving is a well-known specialty of the area.

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     常家庄园 Chang Family's Compound

    A seatting area in one of the long outdoor pavillion-styled corridors.

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     常家庄园 - 拴马柱 Chang Family's Compound

    One of the many carved stone posts used to tie the horses along the compound's road. This one has the popular monkey on guard.

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     常家庄园 - 门楼 Chang Family's Compound
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     常家庄园 Chang Family's Compound

    A large broom.

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     常家庄园 Chang Family's Compound

    One of the areas in the 静园(Tranquil Garden), the large private garden of the compound.

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     常家庄园 Chang Family's Compound

    One of the areas in the 静园(Tranquil Garden), the large private garden of the compound.

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     常家庄园 Chang Family's Compound

    One of the areas in the 静园(Tranquil Garden), the large private garden of the compound.

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     常家庄园 Chang Family's Compound

    The family's large lake.

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     常家庄园 Chang Family's Compound

    The area beside the lake, viewed from atop the 观稼阁Guanjiage Pavillion.

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     常家庄园 Chang Family's Compound
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     常家庄园 Chang Family's Compound

    A view of the farmed areas from the tall pavillion.

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     常家庄园 Chang Family's Compound

    The roof brackets of the another large pavillion beside the lake.

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     常家庄园 Chang Family's Compound

    The intricate designs of everything. That is very common among the wealthy manors, for obvious reasons - the more the wealthier.

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     常家庄园 Chang Family's Compound
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     常家庄园 - 门楼 Chang Family's Compound
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     常家庄园 Chang Family's Compound

    Details of the distinct brackets used in Chinese architecture.

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     常家庄园 Chang Family's Compound

    A pair of lions guarding this buffer room.

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     常家庄园 Chang Family's Compound

    Local crafts on sale.

portrait of a Uygur girl

Travelogues and travel notes

Travel Information

Getting There:

常家庄园Chang family's compound and garden, like the 曹Cao, 乔Qiao, 渠Qu, and the 王Wang family compounds, is located in 晋中central Shanxi province. All these manors are within very short distance from one another, so that anyone who wishes to visit them can easily design a simple itinerary, which is basically up and down the 108 National Highway. Before seeing the Chang manor, I was in 太谷县Taigu county visiting the nearby 曹家大院 - 三多堂Cao compound. I didn't know how to get to the Chang compound, so I had a chat with the owner of the first restaurant that I dined when I got here, which is a block away from the highway. He gave this direction: To get to the Chang compound from Taigu, I can get on any bus going north along the 108 National Highway, such as buses going to 太原Taiyuan, the provincial capital of Shanxi, and buses to 榆次Yuci, which is the county where the Chang compound is in. So with my loaded Chinese army duffel bag and my German rushsack, I waited on the highway for such buses. No more than 15 minutes later I hopped on a Yuci bus (Y5). I let the driver know that I would like to be dropped off at 东阳镇Dongyang town. Another half hour of sightseeing out the window, I was in the town. Overhanging on the highway was a huge banner with these characters: "常家庄园"(Chang family's compound and garden), leaving you no mistake that you have arrived at the domain of the Changs. The quiet town is simply one straight and long, long house-lined street (all 3 km. long) to the grand entrance building of the compound, which sits in the village of 车辋村Chewang. My arrival didn't seem to make a sound since it appeared that I was the only one around. So I squatted and wait for a bus. In the near distance were mostly stores; one was selling motuoche (motorcycles), and these bikes lined the sidewalk. A bus arrived 15 minutes later and I took a seat on its wood benches. The fare was 3 yuan which is expensive for a local bus. But it got me there in 6-7 minutes, skipping several empty stops. The first thing I noticed on arrival was the vast empty parking lot. Large parking lots are usually designed for the expected hordes of tourist buses. But that day was an exception. I brought the expensive ticket, dropped off my luggage in a luggage drop-off area and went through the extrordinary entrance tower.

From 太原市Taiyuan city, you can also get to the Chang compound by taking the Yuci bus in the 建南汽车站Jiannan Bus Station (South Bus Station).

Accomodations:

As with any main tourist attractions, there are always guesthouses closeby. Outside the compound and in the town are many guesthouses.

Entrance Ticket:

60 Yuan. Summer 2006.