Ming Honorific Archway
Hu Wenguang Archway
The only archway Xidi has left: a 1578 Ming paifang in dark Yixian stone, raised with imperial permission to honour Hu Wenguang.
Xidi, China
Xidi Audio Guide
Walk the Hu clan's World Heritage village with 16 audio stops narrated by experts. From the Ming archway at the entrance to the prefect's house that stepped back half a metre, every corner explains how a lineage governed its own village.
- ~2h of audio
- 4 routes · 16 audio stops
- Offline mode
- English
Coming soon
- 4Landmarks
- 16Audios
- ~2hOf narration
Photo: xiquinhosilva
4 audio guides in Xidi
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Hu Clan Ancestral Temple
Jing'ai Hall
The Hu clan's ancestral temple in Xidi: the largest in the village, with six-metre stone columns, gilded plaques and the great character of filial piety.
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Qing Clan Temple
Zhuimu Hall
The Hu clan's secondary temple in Xidi, from 1794: a Yi marble gateway, worship of Emperor Li Shimin and the house of the merchant who paid for it.
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Hui House of a Prefect
Dafudi Mansion
A Hu family Hui house in Xidi: the corner cut back to let porters pass, the pavilion with the village motto and a marble wing turned into a mediation room.
Xidi Audio Guide
What to see in Xidi with the EarGuide audio guide
Xidi, inscribed on the World Heritage List together with Hongcun in 2000, is the village of the Mingjing Hu lineage: 155 old Ming and Qing houses and three lineage halls between two streams. At the entrance stands the Hu Wenguang Archway, a Ming paifang of 1578 in dark Yixian stone, the only one the village has kept; at its centre, Jing'ai Hall, Xidi's largest ancestral temple, where the clan venerated its ancestors and judged its own beneath the great character of filial piety; on Dalu Street, Zhuimu Hall, which one of the richest merchants in Jiangnan built in 1794 and where a Tang emperor is worshipped; and Dafudi Mansion, the house of the prefect who cut back his corner to let porters pass and gave Xidi its motto, “a home in the Peach Blossom Spring”.
With the EarGuide Xidi audio guide, every place reveals its history through professional narration prepared by guides who know the village and Hui culture inside out. Unlike a free walking tour or a conventional guided visit, you set the pace, the order and the stops. No groups, no timetables, no internet connection.
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No internet needed
Download the routes before you head out and explore without using data.
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Smart geolocation
The narration starts by itself when you reach the point of interest.
Frequently asked questions
Questions about the Xidi audio guide
How much does the Xidi audio guide cost?
The EarGuide app is free. The Xidi audio guide includes 4 independent routes with a little over two hours of professional narration spread across 4 sites and 16 audio stops, and it is found inside the app itself.
Do I need an internet connection to use the audio guide?
No. EarGuide works entirely offline. Download the routes over WiFi before you set out and you can use the audio guide with no connection and no data use throughout your walk around Xidi. The map shows your GPS position in real time even without coverage.
What languages is the Xidi audio guide available in?
The Xidi audio guide is available in Spanish and English, with professional narration prepared by guides and experts in the history of Huizhou and the Hu clan.
How long does the full tour take?
The audio guide brings together 4 independent routes with a little over two hours of narration in total, from 25 to 40 minutes per route. They are designed for a half-day visit on foot: you can do them separately or string them all together in a single walk around the village.
Is the audio guide better than a free walking tour or a guided visit?
They are different experiences. The EarGuide audio guide lets you walk Xidi without timetables or groups, pause and resume whenever you like, and replay any explanation as often as you need. It suits independent travellers, families and anyone who prefers to understand the village at their own pace, with no prior knowledge of China.
Which landmarks and points of interest does it include?
The Xidi audio guide covers 4 main sites: the Hu Wenguang Archway, Jing'ai Hall, Zhuimu Hall and Dafudi Mansion, with stops that extend to Zoumalou Tower, Dalu Street and the houses of the Hu family.
Can I do it all on foot?
Yes. All 4 sites are inside the village or at its entrance, a few minutes' walk from one another: from the archway at the entrance to Jing'ai Hall and Zhuimu Hall, almost neighbours in the centre of the village, and from there to Dafudi Mansion, in the old commercial district.
Can I use a purchase in the other EarGuide apps or on another phone?
Yes. Purchases belong to your EarGuide account, not to one app or one phone. A city unlocked in the EarGuide app is also unlocked in that city's own app, and the other way round, on both iPhone and Android. Just sign in with the same account on the other device. The store's “restore purchases” button only covers the app the purchase was made in, so signing in is what carries it across.
Download the Xidi audio guide free
The Xidi audio guide is inside the EarGuide app, free and ready to use offline. Carry it in your pocket and explore the village at your own pace.
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