SHINE | 12-Jul-2020 | By Wu Huixin
Zhejiang Province government has announced that four old Hangzhou villages would be provided up to 7 million yuan (US$990,000) in financial support this year to preserve their distinctive architecture and local ways of life.
The villages have resisted the tides of change that swept across many other parts of China. To protect the old structures, some local governments have relocated residents to new houses. In addition to architecture, the natural environment is also being protected, with sewage being treated and new infrastructure being built. These improvements are attracting tourists and creating a boom for the local economy.
As the novel coronavirus epidemic is winding down in China, and the curtain of spring well and truly opens, these charming villages are well worth a weekend trip, especially for those coming from nearby Hangzhou.
Huanxi Village
The village is situated at the confluence of the Tianziyuan and Qingyuan rivers. Its name literally means “surrounded by creeks” in Chinese. The villagers are believed to be the descendants of poet and philosopher Zhou Dunyi, who lived during the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127). They moved to the area some 600 years ago and since then have carried down Zhou’s lotus-admiring spirit.
In Zhou’s poetry, the lotus is the epitome of nobility and incorruptibility because the flower grows out of mud but keeps its blossoms and leaves clean. His prose “Ai Lian Shuo” is still one of the most renowned poems in China. In summer, undulating lotus blossoms cover the village. These flowers are what attract many visitors and bring additional tourism revenue for residents.
In recent years, infrastructure and roads have been given a facelift, while guesthouses and small eateries have been built to offer homey accommodation and local cuisine. So far, there are more than 55 family-run guesthouses with 700 beds in the village.
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