Heritage in Ancient Huizhou (Postponed)
Rediscover Heritage in Ancient Huizhou
Five-Day Journey from 02 to 06 Oct, 2018
Programme Tailored for Adults
Throughout the Chinese ancient society, four social classes played important roles, namely: scholars, farmers, craftsmen, and merchants. Unlike the Indian Caste System, these four classes were not as fixed, thus, theoretically and practically, every individual had a chance to change their own fate through their industrious effort.
The Huizhou people are perhaps the best example of how such a system work. Given the limited resources they could obtain from their mountainous home towns which bears very little farm field yields annually, they have one additional reason on why they should work harder.
Thanks mainly to the relatively isolated location Huizhou enjoyed, as compared to the fertile north China plane in the Yellow River basin and south Yangtze River Delta areas, the ancestors of Huizhou people gave ten times more attention on the education of their children. This is still visible in the many well-preserved family shrines and commemorative archways.
Largely because of its slow economic developments, Huizhou is now one of the best preserved heritage district in China, thus providing a rare opportunity for us to decode some of the mysteries for ancient Chinese culture.
Hand-in-hand with the Beijing Cultural Heritage Protection Center and Friends of Huizhou, two of the most active heritage NGOs in China, we have tailored a five-day program for you to have a overview on the Huizhou culture, through its architecture, folklore, craftsmanship, and last but not least, its delicate cuisine.
Draft Itinerary:
Note: Itinerary may change in order based on the weather conditions.
D1：2nd October, Tue Arrive in Tunxi
We will travel from our home city to Tunxi (Huangshan City), and meet together in the local hotel (Five Star). Free activities before Welcome Dinner.
Cultural Talk tonight by our local Expert Mr. Zhang Jianping, Founder of Friends of Huizhou Programme. （If time does not permit, we will move this lecture to the next evening）.
Suggested transportation: High-speed train from Beijing or your home city to Huizhou (stop at Huangshan North Station); if by flight, arrive at Huangshan International Airport.
D2：3rd October, Wed Shexian Old Town
We will spend today mainly in Shexian Old Town, the economic center and transportation hub of Huizhou, to have an overview of this mysterious ancient culture.
Although the latest preservation movement of the local government had given the old town too “clean” a look, some of the local heritage monuments are now easier to access. The Xu Guo Archway, the Huang Binhong Memorial Gallery, the City Wall, the Prefecture Magistrate Office Compound are all very interesting sites to visit.
One site that is of particular interest is a church with typical Huizhou style, built in 1920’s. Once used as the dormitory of local Huangmei Opera Troupe, this church is now fully evacuated, and in the process of another major conservation effort. It is highly worth visiting, both from architectural adaptation and from aesthetic appreciation perspectives.
D3：4th October, Thu Xixinan Village & Handicraft Museum
This morning, we will visit the Xixinan Village, a village that has not been developed commercially. This is perhaps the most popular village for Ming Dynasty artists and scholars, as it once housed the richest and the best artistic collections outside the Imperial Palace. Aside from this legendary history, this village is known for the well-preserved irrigation system built along the river that runs across.
The rest of the day will be spent visiting a very well built Huizhou Handicraft Museum, which was built mainly with private collections from Mr. Hong Jianhua. Here, we will have a rare glimpse into the essence of Chinese crafts and arts in its rich collection of stone carving, bamboo carving, wood carving and brick carving. Towards the end of the visit, we will also have a chance to make a piece of bamboo carving by ourselves,
D4：5th October, Fri Hongkeng Village & Chengkan Village
Today, we will visit another village that has temporarily escaped the commercial development – Hongkeng Village. This village is home to many famous literati and artists, and has kept quite a few stone archways, other than the shrines.
One of the highlights of this village is the only Ming Dynasty Brick-carving made in the carve-before-firing method.
The other highlight today is the developed Chengkan Village, a village planned and built by the Luo family in the Ming Dynasty, according to the principles of I-Ching and Eight Diagrams.
Hidden in the maze-like lanes are some 49 heritage buildings, all listed at the National Preservation Level. Among them, one of the biggest and best-preserved Ming Dynasty family shrines.
D5：6th October, Sat Wan’an Old Street, Compass Museum & Tunxi Old Street
Today, we will go west to visit Xiuning County, and stop at the Wan’an Old Street, once a bustling trade center in the region. Other than the interesting shops, we will stop at the Compass Museum, which explains very well the secret code behind the Chinese Fengshui theory.
Before lunch, we will also visit the Hu Kaiwen Ink Workshop and learn to make a piece inkstick by ourselves. You will be able to bring it back after the workshop.
The rest of the day will be spent in Tunxi Old Street, where we can do some last-minute shopping for souvenirs.
Later today, we each are free to return to our own home cities based on arrangements made individually. There are direct flights from Tunxi/Huangshan to Beijing scheduled almost daily (though apparently not Saturday). PLEASE NOTE THE TOUR COST DOES NOT INCLUDE TRANSPORT FROM YOUR HOME CITY TO/FROM TUNXI.
Experts:
Mr. Zhang Jianping
Matthew Hu Xinyu
Host Organizations:
The Courtyard Institute
Beijing Cultural Heritage Protection Center
Royal Asiatic Society Beijing
