The south lake of Hongcun village in east China's Anhui province. [Photo: CRIENGLISH.com]

Our first day in Hongcun Village, one of China's most beautiful ancient villages, was 'luckily bothered' by unyielding rainfall for the whole day.

This was because the white walls and black tiles, the typical elements of the Hui or Anhui-style architecture, turned into a clearer Chinese ink painting after being washed by the misty rain.

Hongcun, located at the foot of Mount Huangshan in east China's Anhui province, boasts well-preserved Hui-style buildings and beautiful surrounding green hills with clear streams winding through.

Established during the Southern Song Dynasty in 1131, Hongcun now has almost 150 Hui-style courtyard homes, family temples and schools that date back to the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1616-1911) dynasties, making some of them 400 to 500 years old.

Walking through the cobbled lanes of the village which remain the same as they have been kept for centuries, you can easily be brought back to the ancient times, and feel so at ease as the locals.

Even when not in the peak tourism season, Hongcun still attracts flocks of visitors, mainly painters who are in love with poetry-inspiring local beauty.

Even on this rainy morning, we can see students sitting by the bank of the south lake in the village, sketching the bridge, lotus, and black-white buildings on the other side.