In Xidi Village are 600 grand family mansions, earning it the moniker Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) Residence Museum. Xidi has two main streets with 99 alleys running out of them. During its heyday 90 drinking wells served the needs of its 10,000 villagers. Enclosed within the unified white-washed Horse Head Wall -- a southern China architectural style where the walls descend staircase style, following the angle of the roof -- all houses in the village are built of wooden beams, stone and brick carved in the engraving style of the Anhui School of Architecture.
The Three Carving Styles - those on brick, stone, and wood, originated in the Song Dynasty (960-1279) and reached their zenith in the Ming and the Qing dynasties. Ming style carvings are usually flat or in low relief with little or no perspective, their emphasis being on symmetry. Qing style carvings are more aesthetic, featuring deep relief and circular designs.