Hongcun is a wonderful village, not far from Yixian in Anhui Province.
Here you will find many merchant homes with open courtyards and exquisite wood carvings dating back to the Ming and Qing dynasties.
It is delightful to wander through the charming narrow lanes and the exterior view of the buildings rising up beside a large pond is stunning.
You need a permit to get here, which you can easily arrange in Tunxi at most hotels.
It's a brilliant day trip from Tunxi, which is best done as part of a tour visiting both Hongcun and Xidi villages.