Wangkou village in Jiangwan township and its traditional Hui-style houses. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Some villages in Wuyuan also boast of well-preserved ancient Hui-style houses. One of the most famous is Likeng village, about 30 kilometers from Rainbow Bridge.

The houses are decorated with delicate carvings of auspicious patterns on brick, wood or stone and they indicate the owner's profession, social status and hobbies.

In the residence of Li Wenjin, an official from Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), the carvings on the beams around the skylight show Li's wealth.

The scenes in the carvings are about people with vivid expressions dressed in feudal officials' costumes, and there is even a fat mouse sleeping under a desk.

This shows that the family was so rich that even the mouse was well fed.

The Declaration Pavilion in the village built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) is close to the ancient Tongji Arch Bridge which spans the stream in the village.

The pavilion is a place where villagers would get together to mediate civil disputes and criticize and punish those who violated the village rules.

Nowadays, it has becomes a place of rest for villagers and tourists.