Buzz
The enigmatic village in Sanmenxia City, Hà Nam Province, China, leaves a lasting impression on visitors with its unique underground homes, accommodating nearly 10,000 households.
Discovering China: Exploring the Ancient 4,000-Year-Old Underground Village in Sanmenxia
Identifying the subject in the aerial shot proves challenging. It resembles a painting, a distinctive symbol, almost like some kind of machinery.
In reality, this is an overhead shot of a village that has existed for thousands of years beneath the surface in China.
The village is situated in Sanmenxia City, Hà Nam Province.
This forms a dense yet organized network of various houses.
An estimated 2 million people inhabit these houses.
According to historical records, the concept of subterranean living was practiced 4,000 years ago. People of that time excavated the earth and built homes to combat the summer heat and winter chill.
Building houses underground, rather than above ground, is believed to have the benefit of reducing damage during earthquakes and providing effective sound insulation.
Despite being underground, these houses are equipped with all the essential facilities found in any above-ground dwelling.
Each house includes bathrooms, living rooms, bedrooms, livestock pens, and storage rooms.
The drainage system here is specially designed to ensure that water flows out of the village without causing flooding in any houses.
Moreover, the houses are equipped with modern appliances such as electrical devices, refrigerators, and washing machines.
To construct a house approximately 7m below ground level, villagers spend three years to complete the process.
Since 2015, a portion of the village has been invested in for tourism development. Renting a basic bedroom costs around $37 per month. Renting a fully-equipped house with three bedrooms, a kitchen, and a bathroom costs $56,000.
The village attracts tourists from all over, not just for its unique architectural style but also for its significant historical, scientific, and artistic values.
China also has another mysterious underground city called Dixia Cheng, located beneath Beijing.
Dixia Cheng, established in the 1970s, boasts a remarkably modern design. Crafted as a refuge in times of attacks, bombings, and nuclear threats, before tensions with the Soviet Union escalated.
The intricate tunnels of the city were predominantly hand-dug, showcasing a testament to human labor and ingenuity.
For a brief period, Dixia Cheng opened its doors to the public, allowing visitors to witness bunk beds and damaged artifacts within, even permitting souvenir purchases from still-operating shops.
However, Dixia Cheng closed its doors for renovations in 2008 and has yet to reopen.
As reported by Minh Hải/Tuổi trẻ
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Reference: Travel guide on Mytour
MytourMarch 9, 2018
