The Oddity of Village Construction Art: Shijia Village

Author: He Feng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-09-01
Features: The development of human history is full of dialectics. On one hand, new things always emerge, impacting the established social structure and culture. Tradition pushes history forward; at the same time, this process is not always filled with warm and gentle melodies, often accompanied by the slaughter of life, the fragmentation of kindness, and the destruction of beauty. However, the sacrifice of goodness and beauty in exchange for higher-level unity of truth, goodness, and beauty. Looking at the history of China's feudal society over thousands of years, on the whole, it advanced slowly with its super-stable structure, but in certain stages and aspects, it endured violent struggles, repeated fluctuations, or subtle ripples like stagnant water. The external and internal factors causing the partial, phased, and limited changes in China's feudal society are mainly three: first, ethnic conflicts; second, internal divisions among rulers; and third, resistance from the common people. The impact of these three factors varied in intensity and frequency, continuous and relentless.
Indeed, those cries filled with blood and fire eventually faded into the silent flow of history. Even the massive upheaval in the external structure of society brought by the change of dynasties quickly returned to order due to the strong assimilating force of the traditional culture of the Han nationality, failing to bring about a fresh transformation in Chinese history. However, upon closer examination, the turbulent fluctuations in social structures exerted strong twists and suppressions on certain strata of society or individual destinies, shook the hearts of living people, and inspired profound transformations of the soul, enriching and deepening the meaning of history. Moreover, the pursuit and creation of a renewed life inspired by such soul transformations undoubtedly added a rich diversity to the development of external history.
The "Jiankang Rebellion" during the Jin and Tang dynasties, the Huangchao Uprising, and the "Jingkang Rebellion" between the Song dynasties shook the historical order while delivering heavy blows to the aristocratic families living in the Central Plains for generations. Over hundreds of years, tens of thousands of Central Plains scholars fled south to escape the wars. The predicament of the powerful nobles under the door system at that time was imaginable. They had to abandon their official positions, wealth, and grand mansions, hastily rolling up some fine belongings, genealogies, and books, and flee from their ancestral lands in a panic, following the cold, howling northwest wind southward, southward, across the Yellow River, over the Yangtze River, and after hundreds of miles, they found a mountainous, forested, and war-free area to rest and recuperate—this was Huizhou.
A continuous stream of Central Plains scholars scattered like countless pearls in the lush, green mountains and valleys. Huizhou was originally a wild, mountainous land with natural vitality but weak cultural. After the Central Plains scholars experienced the cool breezes and refreshing waters, they had to face reality and reconsider building their new homes for survival and spirit. Painful reflection was undoubtedly the main theme of their thoughts: Why did they lose the joyful land of their ancestors? How could they restore the lost glory and dreams? Most of the scholars came from noble families, lived in luxury, and were well-versed in literature. From the splendor of their former lives to the chaos of exile, they experienced great suffering but also great enlightenment. They quickly adapted to reality and found solutions:
First, they lived together in clans, building villages. Survival was the top priority, and they had to live together in blood-related clans, choosing ideal Feng Shui locations with mountains, water, and screen-like barriers to build villages. This not only solved their food and clothing worries but also protected them from the dangers of the foreign land and blessed their descendants. Thus, the Hu family built villages in Longchuan and Xidi, the Wang family chose a site for Hongcun, the Wu family settled in Changxi, the Luo family took root in Chengkan, the Cao family established themselves in Xongcun, the Shi family settled in Shijia, the Ni family took root in Zukou, and the Jiang family gathered in Jiangcun. All the locations they chose were surrounded by spiritual mountains and beautiful waters, suitable for both farming and living.
Second, they rebuilt the traditional clan culture. No matter how great the suffering, these well-read scholars could not shake their reverence for Confucianism and must preserve and promote the hierarchical clan ethical culture in an unbroken tradition. "Only filial piety and loyalty can follow the teachings of ancestors; only diligence and frugality can understand the hardships of farming." "To be honest in life, to love others with virtue, to be content with one's share and poor, is to respect ancestors and honor clans; to be selfless, to accomplish tasks, to understand ethics and value principles, is to be a filial son and virtuous descendant." They honored ancestors, compiled genealogies, built clan temples, repaired ancestral graves, and helped each other within the clan. In every village, there were grand and solemn clan temples, where the images and tablets of ancestors were enshrined, along with complete clan genealogies. There were meticulous sacrificial rituals and strict clan rules to and unite the people.
Third, they strengthened the moral motivation of valuing education and glorifying ancestors. Survival is fundamental, systems are guarantees, and development is the goal. As the saying goes, "To cultivate oneself, to govern one's family, to rule the state, and to bring peace to the world," each descendant must not only excel but also bring honor to the family and gain favor from the imperial court. To achieve this, "if one does not read books, how can one cultivate oneself, govern one's family, or rule the state?" "Reading is for the sake of sages," "A man of ambition must study the Six Classics diligently," "The poor become rich through books, and the rich become noble through books. The ignorant become wise through books, and the wise become beneficial through books," and they always remembered, "To be a farmer in the morning, to become an emperor in the evening." Villages either built magnificent academies or used simple classrooms to invite learned scholars for teaching. The clans supported "or with family schools, or with financial aid. Cultivating one or two good people as models was not only the hope of the clan but also the glory of the ancestors, a matter of great significance."
Thus, year after year, generation after generation, on this land of Huizhou, "villages were formed by clans everywhere, and the order of hierarchy showed pure customs," and "the literary atmosphere was prosperous," with "in every ten households, there was no lack of reading." The gentle smoke of cooking, the devout incense, and the rhythmic sound of reading drifted together with the mist in the blue sky of Huizhou, rising and soaring.
It was the resilient and enterprising spirit, deeply rooted in the lives of ancestors who had experienced great setbacks and suffering, that drove the transformation of themselves. After centuries of gradual nurturing, accumulation, and reinforcement, the achievements of the Huizhou descendants were as brilliant as the flowers in the mountains and valleys, blooming season after season.
First, many achieved success in entering the civil service. From the Song Dynasty's imperial examinations to the Ming and Qing dynasties and even the Republic of China, countless Huizhou scholars rose to the upper class through fair competition. There were "two top scorers from the same prefecture in one examination," "nine brothers becoming scholars and four ministers," "nineteen scholars in one list," "three consecutive palace secretaries and four Hanlin academicians in ten miles," "father and son as ministers," and "four generations of first-rank officials." Huizhou produced 28 top scholars and 17 prime ministers, accounting for one twenty-fourth of the national total, truly "a generation of outstanding officials."
Second, many excelled in spreading culture. Figures like Zhu Xi, Dai Zhen, and Hu Shi can be considered giants in the history of Chinese academic thought. In politics, philosophy, economy, literature, art, medicine, science and technology, cuisine, calligraphy, carving, architecture, and gardens, the stars of Huizhou were numerous.
Third, many succeeded in business. Countless Huizhou descendants, who left the mountains of Huizhou and followed the waterways of Xin'an River across the country and even to Japan and Southeast Asia, dominated the trade in salt, timber, tea, silk, medicine, pawnbroking, and other industries for hundreds of years during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Phrases like "Yangzhou was a colony of Huizhou," "No Huizhou, no town," and "Huizhou people are everywhere" reflected the strength of Huizhou merchants.
One by one, scholars, high officials, and wealthy merchants emerged from Huizhou, leaving the sight of their hometowns, but their roots remained in their ancestral villages, nourished by the waters, white walls, black tiles, streets, ancient trees, clan temples, courtyards, birdsong, cicadas, childhood companions, and the hopeful faces of their entire clan. Thus, they dedicated their favor and glory to their hometowns, donated their wealth to their hometowns, and entrusted their hopes and aspirations to their clans. This injected infinite vitality into the seemingly outdated and dilapidated villages: towering memorial arches like "Worldly Scholars," "Four Generations of First-Rank Officials," "Scholars," "Central Secretaries," "Chastity," and "Honorable" stood before the villages; Hongcun's vast "Ox-shaped Village" architectural system, Shijia's magnificent "Chessboard" layout, Chengkan's intricate "Bagua"-shaped streets and lanes, and so on, were thoroughly restored; Zukou built the magnificent "One," Jing'aotang, Pu Gongci, Zhibentang, Dongshu Ci, and so on, rose from the ground or were expanded and decorated beautifully; Guiji Academy, Ziyang Academy, Zhushan Academy, and others were grand and magnificent; Feiyuan, Guoyuan, Xiyuan, Dongyuan, and Taoliyuan attracted crowds of visitors, with famous scholars and gentlemen wandering and singing like orioles and butterflies; and the exquisite and profound stone carvings, brick carvings, wood carvings, as well as the heartfelt inscriptions, couplets, and maxims, created a rich cultural atmosphere, allowing learners to seek knowledge in places like "Wenquan Book House" and "Fengyou Mountain Book House," where they could "see the fan (goodness) when looking up" and "reach the moon (success) when stepping forward," riding "auspicious clouds" to rise.
Thus, these villages, carrying the heavy expectations of history, became vivid and lively as their descendants achieved success in reality, like adding the dragon's head to a dragon's body. Over the long wait, the ancestors, with their "respect for the heavens," "accumulating virtue," and "diligence and frugality," meticulously forged the soul of the villages. Now, their descendants did not disappoint their expectations, not only preserving the village's soul but also enriching it with the spirit of the times through their filial piety, making it more vibrant and dynamic!
To say that the villages are a microcosm of Huizhou society, that the villages are the soul of the Huizhou people, or that the villages are a museum of Huizhou culture, and so on, is entirely appropriate. In essence, over a thousand years of turbulent history, the villages were the stage for the brilliant display of Huizhou civilization, and to some extent, also a stage for the demonstration of elite culture in China's feudal society.
The past villages can now only be called "ancient villages," the directors are already gone, and the lively dramas have become "heritage," while the original appearance of the stages has already disappeared from people's sight. It is a joy to see that the authors of the "Huizhou Ancient Village Culture Series" have provided us with 10 illustrated manuscripts, allowing us to enter the sleeping villages, touch the pulse of Huizhou ancestors in the remaining relics, and trace the threads of Huizhou culture. Moreover, it is a pleasant surprise that most of the explorers grew up immersed in Huizhou culture, sharing a natural affinity with it while maintaining a modern perspective. Modern thinking allows them to both immerse themselves in the culture and step back from it, while their rich knowledge makes the narrative of each book both profound and accessible, lively and engaging.
Ten books, ten villages, ten aspects of Huizhou culture: Jiangcun focuses on the performance of clan culture, Longchuan on the origins of famous families, Hongcun on the Feng Shui choices of living together in clans, Xidi on the spiritual world of Huizhou merchants, Chengkan on analyzing the structure of rural communities, Changxi on exploring the complementarity of Confucian and merchant cultures, Xongcun on highlighting academy and garden culture, Xixinan on the evolution of literary and artistic traditions, especially calligraphy, painting, and seal carving, Zukou on excavating the humanistic aspects of settlements, and Shijia on the ingenuity of village construction. The only slight drawback is that each book is quite comprehensive, but I believe there is much more to explore in other aspects of Huizhou culture. I hope we can continue to deepen and expand our efforts to fully showcase the formation, development, and transformation of Huizhou culture.