Unspoiled ancient villages

The name of Shilin village comes from the ubiquitous persimmon trees in the village.[Photos Provided To China Daily]

Persimmon village

Shilin village, or persimmon village, gets its name from a forest of persimmon trees in the area. Every year, Shilin, in Zhejiang province's Ningbo city, home to 713 people, produces more than 100,000 kilograms of persimmon. The view of the village's persimmon trees heavy with orange fruit has become popular with visitors.

The oldest persimmon tree in the village is more than 300 years old and produces more than 150 kilograms persimmon every year. Every fall, persimmon fruit hangs like small red lanterns, a symbol of prosperity.

The village is located on a steep slope and is surrounded by mountains. This area of Shilin has been called "dan shan chi shui", or "red mountain and crimson water". The "red mountain" comes from red rocks in the mountainous area and the village's famous maple forest. The "crimson water" comes from a stream named Crimson Stream, which flows through the valley below the village.

Visitors can hear the sound of the stream when they enter the village but they can't see it as it is tucked deep inside the woods. As you descend along the stone stairs, you can see waterfalls and ponds below. Although waterfalls are small-the biggest one is only five meters wide and 10 meter high, visitors can still feel the power of the rushing water.

Over the largest waterfall, there is a stone arch bridge, built during the Qing Dynasty in 1859.

The archway is 10 meters high. In the middle of the bridge floor, there's a stone tablet carved with patterns of lotus.