In Yamaguchi Village, every household features its own courtyard. However, seven of these courtyards stand out for their distinct sense of privacy, offering a tranquil retreat from urban life and an imaginative living space that fosters connection among people.
At the end of 2020, a team of young professionals arrived in Jing’an, Jiangxi, to provide content design and branding services for a well-established vacation resort spanning 83,000 square meters, with a budget of 500 million yuan.
After three years of research and exploration, while enjoying the region’s stunning mountain, river, and valley scenery across all four seasons, the team focused on seven rustic villas in the villa district. Each villa covers approximately 100 square meters, accompanied by nearly 200 square meters of courtyard space.
This group of young creators includes product designers, planners, architects, photographers, and designers who serve over 20 high-end homestays nationwide. They recognize that single-family courtyards remain a rare gem in the industry.
The Yuquan Valley Secret Scenic Area, renowned for its unique mountainous and aquatic resources, also aims to introduce homestays to enhance the resort’s offerings. The team successfully leased seven villas and an additional small riverside courtyard as a reception area, investing millions to establish “Dream Love Courtyard” — also known as “Yamaguchi’s Courtyard.”
After three months of trial operation, guests report feeling relaxed and at ease, some likening it to early retirement, while others describe it as a secluded sanctuary for emotional release. For the young team, these seven courtyards represent the realization of their ideal “relaxation” vacation dreams.
Jing’an, Yamaguchi — both a place name and a terrain
Mountains possess a spirit that gives birth to all life, while water carries clarity and vitality that reveals the essence beneath.
Upon first hearing the name “Jing’an,” its pleasant sound immediately resonates.
Jing’an is a small county nestled in the mountainous northwest of Jiangxi Province, boasting a rich history spanning thousands of years. Located between Wutou and Chuwei, it holds a vibrant cultural heritage. Covering 1,377 square kilometers, its permanent population exceeds just 120,000.
The region offers breathtaking natural scenery, fragrant local cuisine, a unique fireworks culture, and a serene, livable atmosphere.
With a forest coverage rate of 84.1% and a high concentration of negative oxygen ions (up to 100,000/cm³), the lush greenery acts as a natural forest museum, imbuing the tranquility of the “Bird Singing Mountain” with vitality.
Jing’an is considered one of China’s most beautiful county towns, a natural oxygen bar, and a national tourism demonstration zone. Here, air and water quality rank among the best, reflecting a harmonious coexistence between humans and nature. The native wildlife—baby fish, eagle beak turtles, and the Chinese mermaid—also favor this pristine environment.
The mountain peaks flanking both sides and the Liao River flowing eastward form a natural pass, locally called the “Mountain Pass.”
This village, historically united by trade along the rough waters, is known as Yamaguchi Village.
Life often surprises us in unexpected places, much like Tao Yuanming’s “Peach Blossom Spring.” Here, one experiences the wonder of “mountains with small mouths, as if there were light.” Surrounded by two peaks, the “mountain pass” where the Beiliao River flows appears, merging the tranquility of mountains with rural life, unveiling a vibrant life reminiscent of the fabled Peach Blossom Spring. Body and mind find a harmonious home.
At Yamaguchi, there is no need to make difficult choices or compromises.
Step back to find the mountains; step forward to enter the human world. When life is balanced with a sense of security, calm and inner peace naturally follow.
Having visited over 50 destinations, the design plan was revised three times—all to capture the essence of a simple, relaxing vacation.
Renting seven unfinished courtyards, the first step was to define the design and renovation style. This effort extended beyond aesthetics to encompass culture, business strategy, and operations.
Accustomed to seeing Chinese-style garden villas in real estate development, or Chinese and Japanese-style small courtyards emerging in various locations, the team sought to avoid creating an internet-trendy replica.
“Yamaguchi’s Courtyard” is envisioned as an ideal mountain getaway. As a high-end homestay product, it aims to meet the urban middle class’s demand for accessible vacation spaces that offer a change of time and place. Chao Yu Design Firm and the property owners are exploring this vision in depth.
Urban life is constantly evolving, reshaping the expectations of the new generation for ideal vacation homes—embracing humanity, emotion, fun, and personalization.
The final courtyard design aims to integrate seamlessly with the existing park environment while growing naturally within it.
With the style and product planning established, the focus turns to imagining the ideal courtyard: a balance between nature and abundance, tranquility and joy, transition and stillness.
The mountains form the foundation of life in Yuquan Valley Secret Landscape Park, offering a peaceful sanctuary for healing.
Every home in Yamaguchi’s Courtyard enjoys a mountain view. Preserving the original architecture, “Yamaguchi’s Courtyard” introduces an exotic vibe, reminiscent of an island rainforest retreat on the west bank of the Beiliao River. Visitors here can truly relax and begin each day immersed in breathtaking scenery.
This space serves as both a tea bar for daytime tea and nighttime drinks, and as the front lobby for check-in at Yamaguchi’s Courtyard.
During the day, guests can enjoy coffee, tea, or cocktails in a serene mountain atmosphere. At night, the space transforms into a cozy spot for unwinding. Visitors can also read or savor mountain cuisine here, effortlessly bridging nature and urban life.
The coffee shop’s warm white tones complement wooden dining tables and chairs, accented with green plants to create a cozy, inviting space. Clean lines and geometric forms define the space’s contours, restoring the rural essence with a minimalist approach, and allowing the space to offer endless possibilities.
Mountain Retreat
Natural Southeast Asian Aesthetics
Fashionable and Exquisite Forest Garden
Yamaguchi’s Courtyard is nestled in the Yuquan Valley Secret Landscape Park, surrounded by seven detached villas from Fenghuangzhou on the west bank of the river. Amid picturesque mountain and water scenery, it offers a stylish, refined, yet simple living environment where one can feel the rhythm of space amid mountain hues and shimmering water.
How to describe the first impression upon entering? After some thought, it feels especially fitting to compare the space to a forest garden.
A wide courtyard embraces the forest’s greenery, softening the rugged edges. There’s no rush—walk slowly, look around, and pause. In this moment, this world belongs solely to you.
Exquisite vacation style combines aesthetics with nature, romance with refinement. With a deep respect for architecture and forest, the design restores the essential beauty of space through a primitive, minimalist approach, allowing the space to reveal more possibilities.
In the guest rooms, dark wood veneer and woven rattan under warm lighting enhance the delicate vacation atmosphere, offering a rare slow pace that reconnects with nature.
To fully immerse guests in a fashionable vacation, the courtyard layout is key. The first four buildings, called Chiang Mai Parent-Child Villas, emphasize “parent-child fun,” allowing families to cherish quality time together.
This family-oriented vacation design highlights “parent-child fun,” with a courtyard swimming pool bringing a refreshing breeze for a comfortable family stay. The enclosed circular dining table, accompanied by a long table, provides ample space for family gatherings and conversations.
The living room features a treehouse slide and ocean pool design, providing children with playful space. Its semi-open layout encourages parental participation. The indoor space, dominated by natural wood tones and floor-to-ceiling glass windows, connects seamlessly with the forest garden.
The Little Chiang Mai vacation style infuses family aesthetics into every detail. A slowly turning fan under warm lighting contributes to a relaxed, natural ambiance.
The two courtyard styles, though different in approach, lead to the same goal: a profound understanding of relaxation and vacation. They recreate the dialogue between humans and nature and embody a delicate pursuit of vacation quality. Balancing aesthetic enjoyment with practical functionality, Yamaguchi’s Courtyard invites guests to leave behind city bustle, immerse in the mountains, and seek meaningful light in life.
Over 10 Beautiful Living Scenes
Adapting to nature and nurturing oneself
Embracing every moment warmly
Using a three-bedroom rustic villa, the team renovated an infinity pool facing a blue lake, connected to a relaxed coffee space called “SKYLAKE · Lake View Courtyard,” blending nature into the mountain environment.
Wanghu Xiaoyuan, with its multi-functional space combining pool, coffee, and campsite, caters successfully to the diverse lifestyles of modern young people.
Living amid the city’s hustle, we all juggle multiple roles and navigate complex relationships. Amid this, we ask: how many of these connections truly nurture us? Yamaguchi’s Courtyard is not intended as a typical scenic hotel, but rather as a second home within this mountain and water park, located conveniently close to the city.
Conclusion
Many associate Jiangxi with Central China, perhaps because of its understated presence.
In reality, Jiangxi lies south of the Yangtze River’s middle and lower reaches and belongs to East China. Jing’an County exemplifies Jiangxi’s low-key character. Though less renowned than Jiuzhaigou, Mount Huangshan, or Guilin, it possesses a unique and profound beauty all its own, offering an authentic return to simple living.
From “Imperial Spring Valley – Secret Landscape” to “Yamaguchi’s Courtyard,” the project advocates a lifestyle unbound by time, materialism, or trivial concerns. At nature’s threshold, Yamaguchi’s right scale offers the possibility for a leisurely and free life.
With a positive life philosophy, Yamaguchi’s Courtyard continues to grow and evolve.
Project Drawings
△ Plan View
△ Plan View
△ Plan View
△ Plan View
Project Information
Project Name: Yamaguchi’s Courtyard
Location: Jing’an, Jiangxi
Project Area: 2,100 square meters
Completion Date: December 2023
Design Agency: Chao Yu Design Firm
Designers: Liang Fei, Wang Xing
Design Team: Bian Taochuan, Sun Lu
Marketing & Planning: Li Huichao (EDG Er Dao Gang Media)
Photography: Ma Liren, Yink
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