Traditional Chinese Villages Bulletin, 2016 Mar

Front Cover: Jiuqu celebration at Nihegou Village in Shaanxi, photo by Jia Yue

Xihe Cereals and Oils Museum and Village Activity Center Š He Wei, Qi Honghai, Chen Long

CATALOGUE

PREFACE Preface to TCVB Over the last few years there has been an ongoing push within heritage circles to give greater prominence to Traditional Villages as a category of cultural heritage. In 2015 five Chinese properties were lauded by UNESCO for their high level of conservation; no less than three of these properties were historic towns and villages. For China to achieve such success in nominating so many sites of this category is truly unprecedented. The successful nomination of these sites is also in large measure due to the strong determination and tireless perseverance of all the preparation team as noted in the third issue of the Bulletin.

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The Chinese World Heritage Sites in Pingyao and Guizhou are both sites where years of commitment and hard work have resulted in new understandings and methodologies about community involvement in conserving and managing sites. The revitalization of both these sites has demonstrated a successful synergy among multiple disciplinary institutes and local authorities, surely valuable experiences that will be emulated across China.

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At the national level traditional villages in Songyang county are leading the way in adapting historic buildings to contemporary needs. The renovation of one house into an art studio in Lingtou Village started a movement that soon won national attention. Fortunately, and fatefully, these otherwise unknown properties have been given new life thanks to the dedication of the people involved.

The vast span of time that a village can represent is best seen in Ding Village, renowned for its prehistoric origin in addition to its rich cultural content. Thanks to passionate experts and their contribution over the decades, the integrity of this village’s old streets and structures has been wellpreserved with excellent prospects of retaining them for future generations.

Another experiment to garner local support and involvement in reinstating another village relates to a group of young professionals who were eager to share their reflections about the role of architects in the reinstatement of the village of Xihe. Among their findings, the establishment of a cooperative for mobilizing the villagers to protect the local environment is critical for sustaining both the livelihood and lifestyle of the residents and the preservation of these historic structures.

The significance of community involvement also finds its resonance in Cangdong Village, a UNESCO Heritage Award winner. The participation of the local clans and overseas Chinese connections plays a crucial role in its success that merits international recognition. The village has been extremely successful in not only conserving the physical fabric of the site but has also adopted strategies that encourage visitors as an essential part of the village’s reinstatement and ongoing survival.

Last but not least is agricultural heritage. Nihegou Village is an excellent example of how rural heritage sites retain both their historic environment as well as traditional agricultural production practices thereby maintaining an ecosystem that was established hundreds of years ago. Chinese tradition emphases the need to establish harmony between humans and nature as the key to sustainable life.

One of the legacies of this site must surely be that it is a timely reminder to the modern world that our future survival depends on the restoration of this balance.

I believe the message delivered in the Bulletin, that villages are an indispensable component of world heritage, has been and will continue to be echoed around the globe. Although we could not have anticipated today’s achievement a year ago, our commitment to Traditional Villages, so cherished by the public, deserves to have its own voice and its successes seen.

Heritage Conservation and Community: From Pingyao to Guizhou

Why these Persimmons are so Popular Transformation of the Persimmon Hostel in Lingtou Village in Songyang County

16 Ding Village and its Vernacular Architecture

23 Locality in a Contemporary Context: Xihe Cereals and Oils Museum

33 A Pilot Project for Heritage Conservation and Development: The Cang Dong Village of Guangdong Province

43 Jujube and Agricultural Heritage in Nihegou Village, Shaanxi

Dr. Ing. HUO Xiaowei Director of RCHCURD, THUPDI SPURS Alumni of MIT

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Courtyard in Pingyao @ Kuanghan Li / Global Heritage Fund

Heritage Conservation and Community: From Pingyao to Guizhou

minority villages of Guizhou province.

The partnerships and community involvement has made each project a success and a model for conserving cultural landscapes in a sustainable way.

In the famed walled city of Pingyao, Li supervised the restoration of two traditional courtyard houses, helped Tongji University undertake a detailed city plan, and worked with UNESCO to develop guidelines for siheyuan (traditional courtyard houses in Beijing)rehabilitation that have been used by the county to support millions of dollars in heritage conservation of these traditional structures.

She then turned her efforts to the traditional villages of Guizhou province, and worked with UNESCO, Tongji University and Peking University as well as Guizhou officials to develop “The Hundred Villages Project.”

Guizhou Dong Village in Guizhou © Wang Luming / Global Heritage Fund

Three years ago the Global Heritage Fund (GHF), under its China Project Director Kuanghan Li, inaugurated an exciting new project in the traditional villages of Guizhou province. I have had the honor of working with the Global Heritage Fund (USA) as an Advisor, Staff member, and Trustee since 2008, and have witnessed a true communitybased project. This project seeks to conserve not only the traditional structures of village life, but also the cultural landscape of farm fields and the intangible heritage of native traditions.

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The mission of Global Heritage Fund is to conserve World Heritage sites through community development projects. The method is Preservation By Design, a combination of scientific Conservation, Planning, Partnerships and Community Development. The conservation of heritage requires community involvement from the beginning, for it is the community who are the ultimate stewards of heritage.

Each of these four areas was developed in two major projects in China, first in Pingyao in Shanxi, and then in the

Li took the partnerships that were developed in Pingyao with Tongji University, especially with Professor Nancy Shao, and developed an even more comprehensive program for Guizhou in 2012.

In Guizhou, GHF is partnering with UNESCO Beijing, the Guizhou Administration of Cultural Heritage (GACH), the Guizhou Province Cultural Heritage Conservation Center (GCHCC), the China Social Entrepreneur Foundation (You-Cheng), Peking University, Guizhou Normal University and Shanghai Tongji University to promote community and economic development in

the rural areas of Guizhou through heritage conservation.

Proper conservation will not only protect the local vernacular architecture and picturesque natural settings from modern encroachment but potentially also encourage sustainable tourism, as the ethnic minority villages have been included on the Chinese tentative list for World Heritage Site nomination.

It is important to note that heritage in Guizhou is more than buildings. Villages here have distinctive covered wooden bridges, and multi-story homes with open rooftop structures used to store grains and vegetables. Each village nestles in a valley, surrounded by tiny agricultural plots. Nature and structure together create a memorable image of human settlement, while the traditional crafts – like indigo dyeing, silversmithing and fabric-making are also worthy of preservation, along with local music and other cultural heritage markers.

The Global Heritage Fund will focus on the architectural and tangible elements of culture, while the NGO You Cheng will focus on the intangible heritage from folk music and costume to craft traditions.

In late 2012 I witnessed a planning session in Heshui village in Guizhou, a Han community with a 600-year old tradition of papermaking. In small straw huts set along the river, men reach into cold pulpy water with large mesh racks, deftly picking up a thin sheet of pulp that they transfer to a stack of sheets.

Between the straw huts are brick and stone kilns, and wooden water wheels along the riverbank are connected to

Photographs are provided by the authors.

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wood mallets that help pound the wood pulp to prepare it for its transformation into paper.

There are 30 or 40 families that make paper in Heshui, and the lower sections of wooden walls on the houses are bleached white from years of hanging paper there to dry. The traditional houses are in need of repair and are protected through heritage conservation laws but are decaying. In their ci tang (ancestral) halls in the center of the sanheyuan courtyards you can find not only each family’s ancestors but also the name CaiLun, the semi-mythical inventor of paper who lived two thousand years ago.

In most cases of intangible heritage, the challenge is to make sure the next generation carries on a tradition it may see as antiquated. Indeed, in the first community planning sessions, that was the question: Does the next generation still want to make paper?

The answer was yes, so it was followed by the question as to whether they can make a living of this activity. Soon, the partners in the project realized that the problem was in the market – the profit margins on this type of paper are small and they have had to import some of the wood pulp they need. Outside of the special calligraphy paper, much of their handmade product is used for wrapping or even paper money that is burned for funerals and festivals.

UNESCO and GACH then laid out a plan to analyze the paper’s quality, to compare it to other sites of production, and to work on a scheme to market it to the right buyers rather than simply wait

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for someone to make an offer. This is community planning at its best. You engage the community from the beginning of the project to insure that you are bringing expertise that helps them define what they want to preserve and how to do it.

Dali Dong Village The first major project is Dali Dong village in Rongjiang County. It is listed on the Chinese tentative list for World Heritage Site nomination in 2013, along with 19 other Dong villages found in Guizhou, Hunan and Guangxi Provinces. Some of its best preserved historic structures including residential houses, “flower” bridges, granaries, historic wells and stone trails are one of the 7th batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level announced by the State Council in 2013; it is also listed as one of the 6th batch of National Historic and Cultural Villages in 2014.

All of the above titles are the highest official recognitions of a cultural heritage site in China; it is rare that a living village settlement heritage, as opposed to a monumental site, can be named in all three listings. Having the value of its built environment well recognized by the Chinese government, the strategy focus of the project is to provide seed funding for drafting of conservation plans and proposals that satisfy the requirements of the relevant government departments, such that implementation grants and legal enforcement may be granted. In addition, GHF funding will

Tiled Ridge of A Dong Building © Wang Luming / Global Heritage Fund

go towards supplementing areas where the government funding are limited, such as supporting community based restoration and cultural projects, rehabilitation projects and other relevant research activities.

The centerpiece of the community, a distinctive Dong drum tower – was deteriorating, its pagoda-like roofs and the supporting beams in dire need of repair.

Li spent a month in the village in 2013 with students from Peking and Tongji Universities documenting all of its structures as the basis for a conservation plan to be completed jointly by the two universities. In late 2013 Tongji and Shanghai Unit Architects donated services for the design of a new ecolodge – a place where community heritage could be conserved through training programs, resource centers, and supplemental lodging. By 2014 a plan was in place and work had begun on the drum tower as well as four historic houses and one covered bridge.

Although the majority of the funding for the restoration of the drum tower and the construction of the ecolodge are coming from the Guizhou government, the Global Heritage Fund is providing the expertise and coordinating the many partners in the project. This is the kind of success that can only be developed through time and experience.

The Role of Community Historically, heritage conservation organizations were advocates that focused their efforts and their expertise on architecture and planning. This was the realm of architects, archaeologists and trained conservators. Often their curatorial training explicitly excluded community and partnerships. It was a flawed model.

Traditional Woodcut Prints in Pingyao

Heritage Conservation and Community: From Pingyao to Guizhou

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Historic City Wall in Pingyao Š Global Heritage Fund

Asia in general, and China in particular, have given a new approach to heritage conservation, one embodied in the Burra Charter of 1999. In a series of international conferences and consultations over the last two decades a new approach has recognized that while experts may know best about specific scientific approaches to conservation, intangible heritage and the techniques of making places are resident in living cultures and living communities. This became especially apparent in projects such as Beijing’s Forbidden City, where Western experts who are traditionally focused on design, architecture and building fabric slowly began to realize that in Asia, buildings were made to be renewed, repainted, and were often restored or even completely rebuilt using traditional techniques.

The Burra Charter recast heritage conservation not as a set of rules but as a process. The Burra Charter does not preach community outreach but in fact requires community engagement and input into the entire process of Identify, Evaluate, Register and Treat. This came out of the fact that many different cul-

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tures value different kinds of heritage and the context statement that is supposed to be at the beginning of every preservation survey and plan must be defined in part by the local culture. In China, the greatest art is calligraphy. In the West, some believe it to be architecture. Some tribal cultures find it in the landscape and some minority cultures find it in festival and performance. The process of the Burra Charter deals with all of that by engaging community in the very definition of heritage.

How does this happen in Guizhou? Li has spent a full month in the Dali Dong village each of three years since the project began. This way she involves the community in every aspect of conservation, both tangible and intangible.

They help define which buildings are most significant, how they are best preserved, and what skills and traditions Dali Dong village feels are important for the future.

The Challenges That Remain The challenge for the projects of the Global Heritage Fund in China is to insure that community development remains at the center of each project.

Simply turning to tourism is a mistake because tourism can only be one part of the economic equation. To make traditional landscapes thrive economically you need more than tourists; you need to make these places attractive and productive for the next generation who are the true stewards of heritage.

Dr. Vincent Michael Vincent is a respected educator, manager, advocate, planner and thought leader in the cultural heritage development space. His 33 years of experience in the field make him a recognized and sought-after individual on all topics related to heritage, community planning and development, history, urban economics and architecture. vmichael@globalheritagefund.org

Traditional Woodcut Prints in Pingyao Š Global Heritage Fund

Heritage Conservation and Community: From Pingyao to Guizhou

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er. This would create an inspirational atmosphere for artistic creation and be critical for the success of this artists’ village.

“Persimmon Hostel” before the transformation

Overview of Lingtou Village

Why these Persimmons are so Popular Transformation of the Persimmon Hostel in Lingtou Village in Songyang County

TIn Lingtou village Songyang county Zhejiang province, a hostel has become popular and all the persimmons grown locally now sell out every year. While the sale of persimmons and the adaptation of a village house into a hostel may appear to have nothing in common, these two tales are closely interrelated.

Lingtou village has a 400 year history and is home to 350 people who are reputed to be the descendants of the Ye

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farmers were not able to make a living there. The rolling landscape dotted with traditional architecture created such an impression that LI Yueliang conceived the idea of building an artists’ village. If realized, this would transform the traditional rustic setting into a thriving artistic center. Initial efforts focused on the creation of homestays to provide basic accommodation for visiting art students.

However it soon became apparent that a building was needed that combined living quarters with a suitable area where other resident artists could meet togeth-

After careful research and evaluation it was decided that a two-storey house would be built with a floor area of 300 square meters which later on came to be known as the Persimmon Hostel. Property ownership and sources of funding were issues that needed to be solved.

Fortunately the local government decided to subsidize the project and the owner of the property agreed to take responsibility for regular maintenance of the property. LI Yueling, as one of the architects, set out to make his dream come true.

The project took into consideration factors such as utility, comfort, diversity and most importantly locality. Transparency and lighting were the primary concerns for the internal space. Thanks to its favorable location the building captures a breathtaking view of the sur-

family. Designated a Traditional Village in 2014, Lingtou is noted for its buildings made from yellow mud walls with black roof tiles set in a beautiful landscape of golden persimmon trees.

In May 2012 an art professor named LI Yueliang was sent to Songyang to work for the local government. It was probably his instinct as an artist that led him to the village of Lingtou which had virtually been abandoned as the local

“Persimmon Hostel” after the transformation

Photographs are provided by LI Yueliang.

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while the two rooms on either side were converted into accommodation for the owner and one guest. A public space was created on the first floor called “Teahouse Above the Clouds” with a multi-function room next to it for making tea, leisure and recreation. To the east of the hostel is a two-storey café for hosting parties or socializing.

One of the guest rooms under renovation

In addition to considering utility, comfort and diversity, the Persimmon Hostel used local materials and techniques as far as possible. Traditional local grey bricks were extensively used and rammed earth walls, timber partitions and red and black tiles were conserved as a way of preserving the southwest Zhejiang architectural style. Most of the building’s flooring and ceiling made use of existing materials to generate an his-

rounding mountainous landscape and the windows have been enlarged to represent picture frames with the natural scenery as the painting inside the frame.

The addition of four small rear windows in the main hall on the ground floor significantly improved ventilation. Skylights were also added into the roof on the upper floor to allow more sunlight during the day as well as stargazing at night.

Unlike ordinary homestay accommodation, the Persimmon Hostel is noted for its spatial diversity. Single guest rooms and suites as well as creative spaces that allow for exchanges between the residents were included in the design.

The large room on the ground floor was transformed into a reception area

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Detail of the renovated guest room

Interior of the renovated guest room

Why these Persimmons are so Popular

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toric feel. The surfaces of the rammed earth walls were largely conserved and treated only where necessary. Guest rooms were also refurbished to meet contemporary living standards.

“Love of nature, return to simplicity, aspiration for the simple things in life and spiritual rehabilitation in a rural setting” is the ultimate goal for the Persimmon Hostel. By experiencing the life in Lingtou the architect intended to share his knowledge and feelings with his guests through the furnishings in this diversified and fluid space. The guest rooms are named after various forms of vegetation found in this rural setting such as orchids, bamboo, chrysanthemums, plums and rice that also celebrate Chinese philosophy and aesthetics. Most of the decorative features can be found lo-

Corner of the “Teahouse”

cally including pottery, fruits and flowers. Local hand woven fabric was used to decorate lamps. In the café tables were made from recycled timber by the villagers and the cracked blue paint on the wall was left untreated to preserve its historic condition.

The renovated “Teahouse”

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Tea table in the “Teahouse”

The Persimmon Hostel, named after the 180 persimmon trees in the village, opened to visitors in October 2014 at a total cost of CNY400,000. Since the hostel opened Lingtou has begun to thrive with a continuous influx of visitors. Not only has the hostel proved popular, the persimmons themselves have became a ‘hot item’. This is the best result that everyone could have hoped for. The success of one hostel has saved an entire village.

Why these Persimmons are so Popular

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So how did Lingtou Village become so popular? This is a question of great significance for the conservation of traditional villages and rural development in China. An adventurous and sensitive artist, a co-operative local government, passionate villagers and sympathetic architects – missing any one of these stakeholders, the Persimmon Hostel would never have become what it is today. Besides being an excellent example of development in a traditional village, the hostel is also an expression of the desire to see traditional villages prosper.

Indeed, conservation does not imply stagnation or petrification, but rather sustainable development that incorporates cultural heritage and the everyday traditions. Find the right path and there will be new life for a village.

Zhan Jie She gained Master’s degree at Huazhong University Of Science And Technology.,majored in Architectural history. She is now a researcher of Dept. Of Traditional Village, engaging in the study for conservation and development of Traditional Village . breezejz@163.com

LI Yueliang He is the member of Chinese Academy of Oil Painting and Zhejiang Artists Association. Also, the VIice-Chief Lishui Artists Association , Lishui Oil Painting Institute, He is now the Associate Professor of Lishui Vocational and Technical College. associate professor .

492234208@qq.com

Ding Village and its Vernacular Architecture

Li Junjie She gained Master ’s degree at Beijing Forestry University, majored in Landscape Architecture. She is now a designer of Dept. Of Traditional Village, engaging in the programme for conservation and development of Traditional Village, and Landscape Design in Traditional Village.

125221065@qq.com

Gallery of the Belvedere dating back to 1841

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Photographs are provided by the authors.

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Research on collections of vernacular architecture rather than on individual buildings allows for the study of different categories of villages in their entirety together with their natural and cultural settings. The historic and anthropological information that an entire village embodies is of far greater significance than that of any single structure.

Ding village in southern Shanxi province is renowned for the paleolithic remains discovered at Ding village that date back to 100,000 years. This exceptional archaeological discovery brought this village site to prominence for its outstanding historic and distinctive anthropological aspects. Situated to the west of the Fen River and east of the imperial post route, Ding village reached its peak in the Ming-Qing dynasties (ca. 14th-20th century) when

accomplished merchants from the Ding family honored their ancestors through building superb structures such as their homes. Today 1,100 villagers still continue the family tradition of “diligence, virtue, frugality and high scruples”.

The village sits on raised land to the east of the Fen River with the river meandering to the north, west and south of the village. Such topography is known as belt water in fengshui doctrines and considered favorable to the prosperity of a place. Flat land used for farming stretches behind the village for about 6 km with fruit orchards with date and persimmon trees planted on the surrounding hills. Ding village is famous for its fertile soil and idyllic landscape.

south). This reflects an ingenious use of the location’s geographical features as well as respect for ancestral traditions.

According to the building code drawn up in ancient times (kaogongji ca. 475221 BC) a town should be laid out in a square measuring nine li on each side (1 li = 400m approx.). Villages were built along similar lines as towns but on a smaller scale. Even private courtyard houses (siheyuan ) were built in the shape of a square.

Considered planning is also found in the arrangement of the village walls which

Ding village was laid out in a square shape 350m (east-west) by 370m (north-

both protect the residents and preserves the fengshui . Fengshui masters dictated that no village gate should open out to the west as its proximity to the Fen River would result in the loss of wealth and prosperity. The north gate, unlike the other two, is guarded and open day and night so that merchants could travel freely.

The main streets in Ding village are Tshaped for several reasons. According to fengshui , T streets are advantageous to the accumulation of qi , the vital energy for prosperity, whereas crossroads are prone to the outflow of this energy. This layout can also stop intruders from outright assault as they always need to key an eye on behind to defend themselves.

The Chinese character for ding ( 丁 ) is also T-shaped and can mean offspring, implying a prosperous family lineage.

Ding is also the family name of the original inhabitants.

Drinking water comes from the six wells that are evenly distributed throughout the village. Rainstorms are common in July and August and two reservoirs have been built to collect this heavenly gift. Known as the Celestial Pools they provide water for daily household needs and drinking water for animals. As the Ding Geneaology written in the Qianlong period (1711-1799) notes, ‘the Celestial Pools are used to water cows and horses, washing clothes, construction of dwellings and for bathing children’. The villagers are also proud that the pools have successfully prevented fire in the village.

The Guanyin Pavilion, with the Celestial Pool and Belvedere behind

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Path leading to a typical brick entrance

In 1841 brothers Ding Tingzhu and Ding Tingxun used money they had

Ding Village and its Vernacular Architecture

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made from business to purchase a property next to one of the pools as a place for their father to rest and recuperate from his illness. A cantilevered balcony was designed and built on the first floor where their father could sit and enjoy the view of the lotus in the pools. Unlike other architectural features of this building the balcony is delicate and built with polychromatic carved bricks.

The villagers love the building so much that they call it the Belvedere.

The Belvedere, the Celestial Pools and the Guanyin Pavilion at the T-intersection of the main streets form the most significant and vibrant public spaces in the village. The villagers take great pride in using and caring for these public spaces. People often gather here to drink tea, talk to friends, share business information as well as the most current gossip. Daily life flourishes in these open spaces and it brings life to a village with grey bricks and black tiles on the enclosing walls and roofs.

In Chinese tradition housing is the most important asset a family can possess and therefore it is likely that they will spend most of their savings on the construction of the family dwelling. The best and most endurable materials are used in the hope that these dwellings are passed on to future generations. A family’s house is so important that families are extremely reluctant to sell it even if facing destitution. To prevent that from happening, the Ding clan insists that the ownership of every building in a complex must be equally shared by all brothers in that family. Property inheritance is also shared on an equal basis to prevent any one brother from making decisions in isolation about whether to change or sell the building thereby preserving the integrity of a building complex.

Arthur Henderson Smith, a missionary in China in the nineteenth century who wrote about Chinese vernacular architecture, described the bricks used in ru-

A typical decorated timber entrance

ral construction as bland and poor quality. However Ding village boasts bricks of extraordinarily high quality. A family’s social prominence can be primarily seen in the size of their courtyard, the number of structures and use of decoration rather than the building material.

A wealthy family could own a complex that may house five successive generations with various public spaces such as reception halls, guestrooms, studies and parking spaces. Local villagers rank the construction of their residences as the most important achievement in their life followed by marriage and raising a family. This tradition has ensured that these magnificent structures survive to this day.

Most of the residences in Ding village are siheyuan courtyard houses. Build-

ings are constructed on all four sides of the courtyard with the most important and elaborate ceremonial building facing south. The interior of this building is open, not partitioned and is usually the tallest in the complex (it can be as high as 8.2m for a single storey house).

According to fengshui codes, the higher this structure is built the more prosperity that is bestowed on a family. The addition of an observation tower in the northwest corner of the complex will bring even greater fortune to a family.

Inside the main room one usually finds an in-wall niche that houses the family’s ancestral tablets. If no ancestral temple is available, this is the place where adult men carry out ancestral rituals on the last day of the lunar year. On the west or rear wall of the room, according to ancestral rituals, a table is set for worshipping all things worldly. Wedding and funeral ceremonies are also performed here.

Ding village architecture reflects the local agricultural culture as well as former merchant traditions. Although merchants were ranked after farmers in traditional social rankings, the merchants were proud of their business success and believed the best way to express their mercantile achievements was through the addition of elaborate decorations to their homes. These decorations are usually made from timber, stone or brick.

Timber decorations are normally in the form of high reliefs found on beams in the central bays. The most frequent among the common motifs are flowers, animals and geometrical patterns. For example dancing lotus and catfish due to their phonetic symbolism, represent

Heights of buildings reflecting the social order in the courtyard

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Ding Village and its Vernacular Architecture

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continued fortune for a family. Bas-reliefs often appear in the form of abstract designs (for example, the Buddhist ĺ?? ) and flora on the panels of doors, windows and railings to complement the high relief. Stone decorations are usually seen on the pillar bases where each side of the polygon has distinctive thematic features. A square base may have plums, orchids, bamboo and chrysanthemums on its four sides. Doors and stepping-stones can also have basrelief decorations. Brick decorations are mostly used on a screen wall.

Ding village has three performance stages, each having its own troupe. Every time a gong is struck the whole village bursts into a noisy cheer. Performances are like a small festival where everyone can freely express themselves in a dramatic setting. If an actor underperforms on the stage, a member of the audience may feel obliged to jump up and take his place! Villagers believe the gods relish such free expression and this is why the three stages are located opposite the temples. If the patron god of merchants, Guanyu, is pleased with the villagers, he will surely assure future prosperity for these merchant families.

Traditional timber building of the Ding Village Folk Museum

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LI Qiuxiang As one founder of the Vernacular Architecture Research Group in the School of Architecture, Tsinghua University in 1989, she has investigated over a hundred historic towns and villages throughout China.

With thousands of survey drawings and scores of publications, her examination of the vernacular has combined historic, social and cultural dimensions with architectural studies while focusing on both the inherited tradition and contemporary life in the rural context. liqiuxiang@tsinghua.edu.cn

Ding Village and its Vernacular Architecture

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Locality in a Contemporary Context: Xihe Cereals and Oils Museum

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Xihe is a small village, about 30 minutes’ ride from Xin County in Xinyang City, Henan Province. A clear river gurgles eastward, while an ancient tree and ancestral shrine mark the entry of the village. Old houses from Ming and Qing dynasties stand to the north of the river, and the richly forested Feng shui hill soar behind.

Opposite these time-honored buildings is the former Xihe Cereals and Oils Exchange, which was built between the 1950s and 1960s. Today only five buildings have survived. Two big granaries occupy an area of 70mĂ—12m while their massive walls are reminiscent of the Cultural Revolution. Two grey brick buildings belong to the same period, and one red brick building of a late construct has be ruined. Now the structures, only partly usable, serve as temporary depots.

Photographs are provided by the authors.

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forming the original buildings and site.

Problems and Solutions For the site and surroundings there are a series of problems: •

Reprogram the site and buildings for village life as suggested in rural planning.

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Strengthen the connection between the structures and the river and historic buildings to form a harmonious landscape.

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Introduce cultural elements to the spaces of the Exchange for a soft improvement.

The huge volume of the former Exchange on the central landscape axis has blocked the visual corridor between the historic buildings and the Feng shui hill in the south.

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The massive granaries have a direct impact on the adjacent river.

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The structures are inefficiently used in that they are isolated from the village life.

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There are insufficient cultural and tourist facilities for a village destined for enhanced environment and quality of life as well as development and tourism in the future.

It is based on these findings that a renovation is proposed for the Exchange with the following solutions: •

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Revitalize the Exchange by trans-

Locality in a Contemporary Context: Xihe Cereals and Oils Museum

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New functions of the site New functions should be first identified for the Exchange. Based on existing conditions, a museum is proposed for the village, which is to become a new engine for future development demonstrating the local character of Xihe.

A combination of the village industry survey and new industry planning has showed a promising focus on cereals and oils, because Xihe is rich in the production of rice, Chinese chestnut, kudzu, and tea oil. The theme of cereals and oils is both an indication of locality and a continued cultural context of the Exchange. In addition to the museum, the existing structures can be used for visitor accommodation and information service, as well as various group activities for the villagers. The program is finalized as a comprehensive site with a museum, village center and visitor reception. The complex as a whole is named Xihe Cereals and Oils Museum for memorizing the Exchange.

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Locality in a Contemporary Context: Xihe Cereals and Oils Museum

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Reprogramming Based on the above analysis, the five buildings are reprogrammed as follows: The south granary will become the thematic Museum for exhibiting objects related to cereals and oils, for example the traditional oil press in Xihe.

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The north granary will consist of three parts: a Souvenir Shop, a Village Center and a flexible restaurant.

The latter two can be merged to accommodate multiple activities when necessary.

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The red brick building will be transformed into a restaurant for visitors which is connected to the north granary by an extension.

•

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The two grey brick building will become private restaurants with a kitchen and service rooms.

Exterior Renovation Renovation of the exterior plays an important role in generating a new dialogue between the north granary and the river and historic buildings. Previ-

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ously closed buildings are chosen to be opened up to bring ample light into the building. On the other hand, symbolic features and memories should be preserved on the original buildings, whereas different treatments are designed for the specific elevations of the granary.

The side towards the internal square is unaltered to preserve its distinguished character of the 1950s. For those facing the external space, i.e. the south elevation of the new Museum and the north elevation of the Village Center, high windows are enlarged for a lighter and transparent look of the building. The outside of the openings are shaded with local bamboo to prevent overheating as well as to enliven the new façade.

Another major renovation takes place on the red brick building on the northwest which is to become the new restaurant and Visitor Center. To better accommodate the north-south visual corridor and highlight the west entrance to the Museum, the collapsed western parts are removed. The gable wall is also redesigned which is now characterized by local red bricks. The completed wall has a decorative effect seen from the outside while creating a play of light and shade at the inside.

Locality in a Contemporary Context: Xihe Cereals and Oils Museum

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Landscape Transforma- Concluding Remarks tion Xihe Cereals and Oils Museum is a To integrate the new building complex with the environment, particularly the riverscape, the original landscape has been transformed while keeping in mind future tourist reception and museum exhibitions.

First, a corridor is added between the two granaries in the east. The corridor not only creates an envelope for the site, but also facilitates better communication between the Museum in the south and Souvenir Shop in the north.

critical component in the comprehensive transformation of Xihe. The design team, starting from the site conditions and environment, have made good use of the old Exchange in an architectural fashion. In terms of design, the original building and space have been properly reorganized and transformed, and local materials and techniques are welled used to express locality in a contemporary context.

Second, the north platform between the Village Center and river, and the new platform to the west of the restaurant, are redesigned. They have been repaved with old bricks and tiles from the site to create space for various activities and leisure. There platforms also facilitate transition from the riverside to the Museum area.

Third, the collapsed building in the west is removed and replaced by a new entrance that connects to the existing ferry. The tourist route from the historic buildings via the river to the Museum complex is therefore clear.

In addition to preserving the old trees on site, bamboo is introduced for its gardening beauty, which is not only found in the local area but also usable for shading the Museum.

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He Wei Awarded Bachelor degree in Architecture from Tsinghua University, Master degree in Urban Planning from University of Stuttgart and Doctor degree in Design and Art from Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA), he is now Associate Professor at CAFA School of Architecture. His devotion to architectural, urban, art and lighting designs has been recognized by numerous international prizes and exhibitions.

Hewei23@126.com

Locality in a Contemporary Context: Xihe Cereals and Oils Museum

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A traditional ritual in the ancestral shrine

A Pilot Project for Heritage Conservation and Development: The Cang Dong Village of Guangdong Province

Dawn at Cangdong Village, by Li Zhuowen

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With the rapidly developing economy and tourism sector in China, many historical sites/villages are being exploited for tourism in the country. However, the development and management of these villages is rather haphazard: local people and their lifestyles are not necessarily greatly respected during development, local culture can be destroyed and villages can become too commercial and touristic, straying too far from their natural state.

The author always believes that the lack of heritage knowledge of ordinary people and lack of respect from decision-makers are the key issues in the conservation and development of heritage in China. The author believes that community is crucial in cultural heritage conservation; public participation and community planning and development are essential for heritage sustainability.

The author also believes that conservation is a form of development. It is not

about retaining the past and resisting change, but about managing the pace of change in the built environment. The main purpose and soul of conservation is to understand the place that people lived. It is not just about conservation of beautiful historical buildings, but also about the pride and self-identity of local people, and the practice and presentation of their lifestyles.

In view of this, the author used the Cang Dong Heritage Education Center (the Cang Dong Project) in Guangdong Province as a pilot project for heritage conservation and development. The Project began in 2010 and has since received world-wide recognition. In September 2015, the project was awarded the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Cultural Heritage Conservation Award of Merit.

There follows a summary of the experiences and lessons learned during the past five years.

Canadian experts visiting Cangdong in 2015

Photographs are provided by the authors.

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Village backgroud Cang Dong Village features a 700 year old history of the Xie clan, with two Ancestral halls combined with local schools reflecting the Confucian patriarchal system that the villagers still respect. There is a Feng shui pond, a bamboo plantation leading up to a Feng shui wooded hill past a village shrine/temple, an old banyan tree and an old water well. The village has a community hall and includes both new and old traditional village houses linked by stone paths, all set in an agricultural landscape and all authentic. These considerations led us to regard Cang Dong Village as an ideal base and a suitable place to practice and implement heritage protection.

Cang Dong village not only exhibits the major elements of a typical, traditional rural village in Southern China but it supplements this with one of the unique Chinese and Western architectural combination “Dialogues�, and was hometown of many Overseas Chinese. With the good faith and support of the local TangKou Government and the construc-

tive cooperation of the house owners (the Xie family) and the villagers, we chose Cang Dong village as our base to practice this pilot project.

and puts into practice a combination of pioneering and exemplary education projects.

In the management of this project, the Cang Dong working team pays great attention to cooperation with local people and villages, as well as other parties, to balance the benefits of different stakeholders and maintain relationships between these parties to ensure the sustainability of the village community.

Conservation concepts The rehabilitation works respect the authenticity and integrity of the original buildings. They comply with minimum interference protection criteria, thereby maximizing the retention of the original style and using traditional materials and processes. There is also strict compliance with the principle of reversibility, ensuring work does not destroy the original building structure. Moreover, genuine old furniture was used in efforts to recreate the atmosphere of the period.

During the repair process, memories and suggestions from villagers were respected. Only invited, experienced local craftsmen were employed, using traditional techniques and materials. Records of work undertaken (before, during and after conservation work) were kept. We also followed the principle of revers-

Mural restoration by a local artist from Kaiping city

ibility. We have deliberately renovated and reused old furniture and available components.

Retaining original architectural features provides a basis for education, meetings, cultural events and other functions; former villagers offer personally guided tours, with personal anecdotes and authentic cultural experiences for visitors.

This facilitates the revitalization of historic buildings and preservation of traditional culture and skills. This boosts the sustainability of the project and provides a win-win for all concerned.

Villagers are employed to help with the project.

Development Strategies The development strategy is to help revitalize the village with heritage education, using the model of the social enterprise. It seeks to respect the community, local history, culture and way of life of villagers. It is achieved through the interpretation of heritage values, displays, education and research activities, Villagers worshipping the God of Earth and Grain in a traditional rite

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Artists sculpting an interior decoration panel for the ancestral shrine

A Pilot Project for Heritage Conservation and Development: The Cang Dong Village of Guangdong Province

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interactive experience with local life and overseas Chinese living, and understanding protection of the environment and cultural heritage. This helps young people develop skills and appreciate an overseas hometown feeling; it also helps young people understand the importance of heritage conservation. Therefore, the main activities in Cang Dong include: - Familiarization with Cang Dong village and nearby sites of particular interest.

- Visiting and understanding UNESCO World Heritage sites such as Kaiping Diaolou & villages (such as Zili village, Ma Jiang Long village cluster, San Men Li village, Jin Jiang Li village) and the National Cultural Heritage sites at Chikan Town and Li Yuan (Li Garden) - Depending on time permitting, we also include the opportunity to know more about the neighboring counties such as Taishan, Xinhui, Jiangmen and Enping and other sites relevant to the Sze Yap (Four Counties), its culture and landscape.

Gilded decoration panel in the ancestral shrine

Implementation The development goals of this project can be summarized as to: - Educate ordinary people in heritage conservation - Preserve and revitalize local traditional cultures - Enable reuse of historical abandoned buildings - Achieve the continuity of local culture through the participation of students and tourists - Engender in local people a sense of pride, understanding and belonging - Attract overseas Chinese descendants originally from this area and visitors from around the world

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- Provide a bridge and communications between neighboring villages and overseas Chinese - Build up links between China and overseas-born Chinese

- Participation and involvement in Kaiping local heritage conservation practice.

- Provide actual field study for researchers involved in overseas Chinese history and overseas Chinese hometown research.

In order to achieve the above goals, the first objective of the project was to establish facilities in Cang Dong village for the education base. The historic buildings are used to provide simple bed and breakfast type accommodation, while respecting the various elements of the ancestral hall. Students and visitors can come to Cang Dong village and live there for a while, learning through

Daily programs can be tailor-made for groups, including students, and may include: - participation in organic farming - harvesting and food preservation - traditional food preparation - interaction with local daily life and villagers Canadian university students in a cultural workshop, 2015

- tours with an environmental awareness

A Pilot Project for Heritage Conservation and Development: The Cang Dong Village of Guangdong Province

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- visiting and learning about nearby sites of historical and other interests, exhibitions - understanding and appreciation of the local arts and crafts, scenery and food - cycling along the “Guangdong Greenway” - learning Chinese culture and in particular, WuYi/Sze Yap culture.

- lectures (such as on architecture, world heritage, conservation, preservation, overseas Chinese history, Diaolou background), sharing and review - preparation of farm food specialties - appreciation and practicing of traditional folk activities - oral history given by the villagers beside the banyan tree - community work - bonfires, team building, outdoor skills

Working experiences The working team of Cang Dong Project is “grassroots and professional”. The academic disciplines in heritage conservation and management, architecture and sociology are important. However, all staff work in different projects with various people from other disciplines.

They also have to understand villagers and work with them. Villagers and craftsman are included in the management team of the project. Villagers’ comments and advice are respected.

Overseas professional support is welcomed but it needs to be partnered with local experience.

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Teamwork, sharing, multi-cooperation, fairness and justice are the working principles of the Cang Dong Project.

To some degree, there is no “routine” work in the office. Team members are required to surpass their professional training to create cohesion, focus and self-discipline. They have to learn to use professional knowledge to make drawings and communicate with villagers.

They also need to learn to avoid using professional terms when talking to villagers. They are encouraged to learn from villagers, to understand real wisdom from local people and their actual needs.

In order to know more about the village and talk with villagers, the main working team members established their office and live in Cang Dong Village. In fact, this way of working is not a move away from the mainstream. Rather, we can understand more about globalisation and also understand the importance local place. To look deep into your own place before you integrate with the world.

Canadian university students in a cultural workshop, 2015

A Pilot Project for Heritage Conservation and Development: The Cang Dong Village of Guangdong Province

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Actual operations and results In the past five years, the Cang Dong Project team spent much time communicating with villagers, helping them to participate in reconstructing their community. Many more villagers who moved out sought to return to the restored village. Eventually in the Chinese New Year of 2015, more than 100 previously displaced villagers returned for a gathering on the 7th January (lunar calendar).

Many programmes for primary and middle school students and university students, as well as for adults from home and abroad have been organized in the past two years. The current training courses are widely accepted; the trainees are satisfied and village kids are welcome to join without charge. Villagers learn from the programs organized by the project. Cultural confidence and local pride return. Village traditions can be maintained in a more natural way through their own activities.

The villagers’ positive participation in local rituals during conservation projects, their worship in ancestral halls,

wedding and birthday ceremonies all help support village cohesion and concentration. This enhances villagers’ sense of belonging to their ancestral place, with more feelings and self-identity. The spirit and soul of the village can only be shown along with the people who live there. Respect and encouragement from us, and the construction of local pride, are essential to maintain villagers’ ways of life and the spirit of place.

This is the harmonious development that the author expects. Village tradition helps ground the modern world and activities are not arranged during busy farming days. Moreover, ancestral halls and the public area where villagers have traditional banquets are sacrosanct. Only in this way, can the goal and mission of the Cang Dong Project be achieved:

Dr. TAN Jinhua She got her PhD degree at the Department of Architecture, the University of Hong Kong. She also studied Chinese American history as a visiting scholar in Azusa Pacific University of the United States. She is now a researher and associate professor on overseas Chinese history as wells as heritage coservation at Wuyi University. She was the key researcher and supervisor of the Kaiping Diaolou and Villages project during the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Listing process. She established the Cangdong Project for research and practice in a real heritage conservation site, focusing on architectural cerservation and community development and cultural continuum. The Project was awarded the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Cultural Heritage Conservation Award of Merit in 2015. diaoloutan@qq.com

- To maintain authentic village life and landscape without aspects that have nothing to do with village life - Visitors do not act as if they are visitors coming to learn heritage knowledge, but to experience traditional lifestyle - Villagers receive visitors not as visitors but as their relatives from far away.

A reconstructed local temple in 2014

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A Pilot Project for Heritage Conservation and Development: The Cang Dong Village of Guangdong Province

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Jujube and Agricultural Heritage in Nihegou Village, Shaanxi

Taoist priests host the Qingzhan ritual in a jujube forest. Among the deities villagers worship is the Jujube Bodhisattva.

View of Guanyin Temple, Jiuqu Maze and the historic jujube forest at the valley mouth of Nihegou

This is an article which documents a small village called Nihegou which is tucked away in the Yellow River Valley in Shaanxi province. A group of photographs have been selected to visually demonstrate the significance of this Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Site (GIAHS).

Nihegou Village belongs to a new category of heritage termed agricultural heritage. A comprehensive designation of heritage values and significance has

yet to be agreed upon and accepted. The traditional village of Nihegou is truly idyllic with the greatest significance being its agricultural traditions based on the production of jujubes, a tradition that has remained unchanged over millennia. Jujubes are the one aspect that still connects villagers whether they be near or far. Both intangible and tangible heritage continue to evolve naturally and harmoniously.

Snow falls on the second day of Jiuqu celebration. The Yellow River Jiuqu Maze is located in the historic jujube forest of the core heritage area.

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Photographs are provided by the authors.

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Jujube buds in late April herald the start of hoeing and ridging before peanuts, leek and pepper are grown.

Several prunings are needed before the jujube buds. When they come out, hoeing, fertilization and fruit and vegetable planting will keep the villagers busy.

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Every year, the Fotang Temple Fair opens in lunar March, mostly attended by folks from the nearby Wu family villages.

Nihegou Village, Shaanxi

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Jujubes usually ripen around the October National Day, when migrant children return for family reunion, as well as jujube harvest.

Autumn harvest of jujube is coupled with peanut, sweet potato and various fruits and vegetables.

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Today most jujubes are dried on top of the Yaodong cave or in the courtyard, while few maintain the tradition of doing this by the cliff.

Nihegou Village, Shaanxi

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Nihegou valley and the Yellow River during autumn harvest, with the Temple to River God in the middle.

Jia Yue He was awarded Bachelor of Engineering from the Department of Electronic Engineering, Tsinghua University, and Master of Fine Arts in Film Studies from the Photography Department, Beijing Film Academy.

Ten years of experience in cultural heritage conservation, from scores of conservation plans of National Monuments and World Heritages Sites as well as World Heritage nominations, have made him a renowned lecturer at Beijing Film Academy, specialized in cultural heritage photography and research. haaseye@163.com

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Traditional Chinese Villages Bulletin appears twice a year.

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With contributions from TCVB Chinese Version.

Nihegou Village, Shaanxi

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