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    Xinye Village: An Open-Air Museum

    Written by: Waseem Abbas
    Posted on: November 25, 2021 | | 中文

    In Xinye village, tourists strolling close to the main pond and the ancestral halls

    Few villages in the modern world have succeeded in preserving their culture from the onslaught of modernization and technological advancement. Xinye village, a mountainous area located in the Zhejiang province of China, is one such example. Founded in the Song Dynasty, 960–1279, this village is credited to have preserved the Ming, 1368–1644, and Qing, 1644–1912, era architecture and buildings in their original form. It is considered the largest open-air museum in China since it has kept intact the 16 ancestral halls and 230 residential buildings, built during the Song and Ming eras. Xinye was declared as the 'National Historic and Cultural Village of China' in 2010.

    Inside Youxu, the main ancestral hall. (Credits to The Candy Trail)

    The founder of the village, Ye Kun, moved there in 1219, during the era of emperor Ningzong of the Song Dynasty. Twenty-nine generations have passed since Ye Kun, yet most of the villagers have still kept the surname 'Ye', to acknowledge Kun's efforts in establishing this village. The villagers are known as the 'Yuhua Ye' clan. The clan is further divided into five subclans: Chongzhi, Chongren, Chongde, Chongyi, and Yuqing. The ancestral halls of each clan, where important meetings pertaining to the administration of the locality are held, are located in different parts of the village. The tradition of holding important meetings in the ancestral halls is unabated for the last eight centuries.

    Decoration with colorful crops in Xinye village. (Credits to Xinhua

    Xinye is a vibrant cultural town in which ancient ancestral customs are still practiced. The village miraculously managed to protect its cultural monuments during the Cultural Revolution, a violent socio-political movement that started in China in 1966, aimed at preserving the Chinese variant of communism by destroying the remnants of capitalism and old Chinese traditional practices from China. The villagers achieved their goal by coating lime and placing papers, inscribed with Mao Zedong's quotes, on the sculptures and carvings of their ancestral buildings and architectural masterpieces. The main reason for its cultural preservation is its deeply embedded practice of ancestors' worship and its strong clan system. Most of the temples in the village are named after the ancestors of the villagers. A genealogy book which contains the names of all the individuals of this village from its foundation till today has been maintained to this date, and is updated after every sixty years with a grand ceremony. The indigenous cultural practices of the village, including the veneration of the elders and eating family meals on festivals, resonate with greater Chinese norms. Eating meals as a family, respecting the elderly, praying for good luck as well as prosperity, and singing poetry are inseparable parts of many Chinese Festivals, including the Mid-Autumn Festival and the Chinese New Year.

    People celebrating double Third Festival in Nanning city, Guangxi Zhang

    The most important festival in Xinye village is the Shangsi Festival, which is also known as Double Third, that is celebrated on the occasion of the birthday of the Yellow Emperor. The centrality of Shangsi Festival in Xinye village is a deviation from the mainstream Chinese culture, where the New Year or the Mid-Autumn Festival are considered as the most important festivals. Even though there is no consensus about the origins of Shangsi Festival, it likely originated from the years-old Chinese custom of getting rid of evil by bathing in the river. In addition to the Xinye village, many communities in China, such as the Zhuang ethnicities, also celebrate the Shangsi Festival. The Shangsi Festival is not only limited to China; it is celebrated in many East Asian countries, including Korea, Japan, and Indonesia.

    In Xinye village, young girls make wishes after performing a ritual close to the river.

    The festival, which is celebrated on the third day of the third month of the Chinese calendar, involved individuals hold a sacrificing ceremony on the riverbank to pay homage to their ancestors, which is also termed ancestors' worship. After that, people bathe in the river to purify their bodies and to ward off bad luck and diseases. It also serves as the Chinese variant of Valentine’s Day, where young men and women go out for outings, share flowers—orchids, and find their life partners. Many romantic scenes that occurred during the Shangsi Festival are described in Shijing or Shih-ching—the classic of poetry; which is translated as 'Book of songs' into many languages. It is the oldest surviving Chinese poetry collection dating back from the 11th– to 7th centuries BC, and is said to have been compiled by Confucius, 551-479 BCE. This festival also includes a 3-Km ritualistic procession to Yuquan temple and back, listening to choir music, eating glutinous rice, among others.

    A tourist in Xinye village. (Credits to Xinhua)

    The Chinese government is assisting in the preservation of both the cultural practices and the ancient architecture of Xinye village. The Chinese government has granted it the status of a National Historic and Cultural Village of China and it aims to help the village obtain the status of a World Heritage Site in the near future. The preservation of heritage sites in Xinye village has benefits pertaining to tourism, entertainment, education, as well as history. It also helps in strengthening the Chinese identity and heritage, and in bolstering the country’s image internationally.

    Gallery

    A courtyard inside a traditional home. (Credits to The Candy Trail)

    Carvings at Youxy ancestral hall

    A sample of architectural masterpieces in Xinye village

    An aerial view of the town in which the residential buildings and ancestral halls can be seen. (Credits to Xinhu)

    During a festival in Xinye village.


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021