Huangshan Gems:
Xidi And Hongcun Attracts Artists And Poets
by
Habeeb Salloum
 “Since you are here in
Huangshan, you must visit our two traditional villages, Xidi and Hongcun.
They are little gems of elegance and tradition.” A guide advised when I
asked him his favourite attractions in the region. We had already made plans
to visit these villages and his advice reinforced our decision.
 Both
Xidi and Hongcun rest in the foothills of the Huangshan (Yellow) Mountain.
They lay amid a landscape of greenery, dominated by bamboo forests and
fields of corn, mulberry, rice and tea. Along with the
Yellow
Mountain they are on the itinerary of
almost all tourists who travels to this region in China.
 Early
the next morning, we walked Xidi’s stone-paved streets and alleyways,
glorying in China’s past
history. Like its sister, Hongcum, the village dates back to the Sang
Dynasty (960 - 1279 A.D.). Its buildings have remained remarkably intact
from the days of the Ming (1368 - 1644 A.D.) and Quing Dynasties. A
historical and culture village, it is one of
China’s ten most attractive towns.
 Many
of the 124 homes are still to be found from that era, many now souvenir or
other tourist oriented shops. The ancient homes edge 45 narrow and winding
streets and laneways paved with bluestone. UNESCO has named both Xidi and
Hongcun, due to their historic remains, as World Cultural Heritage Sites.
 The
first thing that I noted when entering the town were the countless young
painters working on the streets, sidewalks, and doorways and it seemed every
other empty space around. They appeared to outnumber both the inhabitants
and the visitors. The guide said that many schools bring their students here
- into a world of China’s past.
All around the village appeared to have been designed for artists. Every
part of the ancient buildings was covered with intricate and decorative
carvings, reliefs and sculptures, carrying a flavour from Chinese history.
 The
Huizbou architecture predominated. This building style, with its white
walls, dark tiles, horse-head gables, mirrors and open courtyards, were
common features found in all parts of the old town. The guide noting we had
stopped to admire some of the carvings remarked, “Some travellers say
visiting Xidi is like stepping into a traditional Chinese painting. It gives
visitors a perfect chance to explore
China’s ancient arts and culture.”
During
our tour, we passed a large three-tiered stone archway, ancestral temples,
schools for classical learning, beautifully paned windows, projecting
horse-head walls, stone archways, bridges and much more. We stopped at
streams and waterways, at times, covered gardens with their trees and
courtyard walls draped with vines and flowers. We marvelled at the handiwork
of the past Chinese artists before we made our way to Hongcun, only 15 km (9
mi) from Huangshan.
 Hongcun is a twin of Xidi -
with much the same age and features. It, however, differs somewhat with a
sophisticated water system and two large pools in town. These are connected
by streams which, passing every house, provide the water needs of the
inhabitants.
Relatively untouched by the modern world, Hongcum, like Xidi, has for
centuries inspired artists and poets. Both villages are living museums to
traditional small town life in
China’s past ages.
 We entered the village by a
Crescent-shaped lake edged on one side by the ancient homes of Hongcun. The
whole of our side of the lake was filled with high school students painting
the picturesque homes across the waters. After our tour of Xidi and Hongcun
and after encountering hundreds of artists that day, it appeared to me that
literally half the youth of China were well on their way to
becoming artists. Like I told my colleague during our trip to China, ”The Chinese have to be
artists to be able to write their language. Every character is like a
picture.”
 Touring
the village that afternoon, we rambled around intrigued by the many relics
from the past. We stopped for a while to watch women do their washing in a
village stream, tasted local delicacies and shopped for antiques and
souvenirs. All through the walk, we were surrounded by exquisite
architecture of stone and wood. For those who love history, Hongcun is a
great place to spend at least half a day.
Our
guide summed it all up during our relaxing dinner, “Here you can see how the
Chinese, in a modern sense, live as their ancestors lived centuries ago. The
village is not only of interest to foreign tourists but to the Chinese, as
well.”
IF
YOU GO
Facts
Foreigners travelling to
China
must apply to a local Chinese embassy or consulate for tourist visas.
The
currency of China,
the RMB or Yuan, is currently valued at about 6.8 to the U.S. dollar; and
the same for the Canadian dollar. Conversion of foreign currency can be done
in banks or hotels. China
is one of the few countries in the world where hotels give the same rates as
the banks. The exchange rate for traveller cheques is more favorable than
that for cash. Also, most credit cards are accepted.
Taxi
fares in
China
are always clearly marked on the taxi window.
Most taxi drivers do not understand much English. Hence, visitors
should have their destinations written down by a hotel clerk in Chinese and
show the written destination to the cab driver.
Only
some tap water in China
is potable. However, bottled mineral water is on sale everywhere.
Both
Xidi and Hongcun charge 80 Yuan entry fee and, at times, charge a few Yuans
to have a look inside the homes.
The
temperature in the Huangshan area is agreeable year-round.
For
Further Information, Contact:
China
National Tourist Office,
Toronto,
480 University Avenue,
Suite
806
Toronto<, Ontario,
M5G 1V2,
Canada,
Tel: 416-599-6636,
1-866-599-6636, Fax: 416-599-6382,
E-mail:
cnto@tourismchina-ca.com;
China
National Tourist Office,
New York, 370 Lexington Ave. #912,
New York<, NY 10017 USA,
Toll Free: 1-888-760-8218, Tel: 1-212-760-8218, Fax: 1-212-760-8809
Email: ny@cnto.org
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