Grey roofs
Rising in a fan.
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A Ming-era mountain village in Zhaitang, Mentougou, about 90 km west of central Beijing, built on a slope above a narrow valley at some 650 m, where no new house has been built: all 74 courtyard homes, with 689 rooms, are old Qing-period dwellings whose grey roofs and stone walls rise in a fan around a central path, and most of the families share the surname Han. It was a stop on the old road between Beijing and Shanxi, where its first settlers came from, and carved brick and stone, inscriptions and paintings decorate its walls and gates. Since April 2026 there is no entry ticket; parking costs CNY 10, and an optional sightseeing bus linking four villages costs CNY 40, per local news reports. The drive takes about one and a half hours, while public transport needs a metro, a bus and a taxi.
Rising in a fan.
On the gates.
Mountain quiet.
Zhaitang town, Mentougou District, about 90 km west of central Beijing
The village kitchens are rural and pork is common, so bring food or order vegetable dishes; Beijing has many Hui Muslim restaurants under the halal sign.