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The village located 90 kilometers/55miles away from downtown Beijing, it is considered as a “pearl” of the traditional village of China. Chuan Di Xia has a rich history, first established more than 500 hundred years ago to the time of the Ming(1368-1644).Tough it undergone the nature for dynasties, there’re still many traditional Quadrangles(typical dwellings in the village) exist in the village.
The village stands along the vital communication line, with convenient transportation to Hebei province and Inner-Mongolia, so the incessant stream of horses and carriages made it being a busy place during the Ming and Qing dynasties. But, part of the village was seriously damaged during the Japanese Occupation (1937-1945) and the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), the ruins are still visible there.
After the Reform and Opening up to the rest of the world in 1978, with the development of the railway, express way and advanced mountainous road, the village has lost its strategic significance and not being busy anymore. The young villagers flooded into the city and moved out of the village. At present, there’re only 14 families with more than 30 people still living here. Thus, the village was maintained very well and froze in its history, has become a “living museum” in Beijing.
It's a great treasure in terms historical antique, architecture, art and social study.
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