China today is a modern country, after rapid infrastructure development in almost every city.
In Beijing, the construction of the Bird’s Nest stadium and the Water Cube aquatic center for last year’s Olympic Games is nothing less than hard evidence of its economic might.
In Guangzhou, a city in southern China, we can also witness the robust economy, as seen from the massive construction of public facilities such as highways and bridges, not to mention skyscrapers.
Despite its modernity, China is admirable for its strong devotion to the preservation of its culture and traditions. Several journalists from Southeast Asia were recently invited to look at China’s glorious past and natural beauty.
Our tour guide Thomas Shau jumped out of the bus that took us from downtown Guangzhou in southern China to Kaiping City, about 140 kilometers to the southwest.
After talking with people at the ticket booth, Thomas shouted to us, “This way, please! This way, please!” This was heard repeatedly on our trip as he was worried we may get separated which might disrupt the tight schedule.
On that sunny day, Thomas had brought us to Li Garden to see the attractions and beautiful old buildings in the estate belonging to the wealthy family. Covering an area of more than one hectare, the complex consists of a man-made lake, narrow canals, hills and old buildings of outstanding architectural interest.
The area was built between 1926 and 1936 by Xie Wei Li, a Chinese man who migrated to the United States. After he became wealthy, he returned to China and built the houses and spacious garden later known as Li Garden. The property combines exotic Chinese gardens with the charm of Western architecture.
In the complex, all the houses, some multi-story, are alike architecturally and share similar amenities. The windows are protected by four different coverings; the outer part is an iron panel, followed by iron bars, mosquito nets and then a wood panel.
“They used extra safety measures because they wanted to defend themselves from Japanese invaders. One window was damaged when the Japanese tried to pry it open,” Thomas said, pointing to a damaged window.
The houses are special because there is a kitchen on each floor. Thomas explained that the kitchen allowed the inhabitants to still cook meals when the lower floors were inundated by floods.
The entrance to the rather grand garden has a stone-arched gate which declares the residency of the Li family in two large, handwritten Chinese characters meaning “Li Garden”. The garden incorporates a walk-in aviary, a small lake and a flower pavilion along with numerous trees and plants.
Standing erect in the garden are two steel poles called the “tiger whip” which were built to scare away evil spirits.
As many of us were still enjoying the breeze in this subtropical region, Thomas ordered us to gather and get on the bus.
“It’s time to go and see Zili Village,” he said.
Zili Village is only minutes away from Li Garden to the northeast. As our bus stopped in front of the gate, we got out and went to the old village on foot. With a dry landscape, dirty ponds and old brick houses, frankly, the village does not provide a feast for the eyes.
To ignore this place, however, would be a mistake as we have lessons to learn from this old village, which was inscribed on the list of UNESCO’s World Cultural Heritage sites in 2007.
Located in Tangkou Town, still in Kaiping City, the village consists of three sub-villages constructed between 1821 and 1920. There is a cluster of nine towers known as Diaolou and a group of six Western-style villas, along with single-story houses built of brick and with tiled roofs among the rice fields.
The nine Diaolou are Anlou, Juanlou, Longshenglou, Mingshilou, Quianjulou, Yinonglou, Yunhualou, Zhenanlou and Shulinglou. They were built around the same time in the 1920s by prosperous Chinese emigrants returning to their roots from the United States and elsewhere.
Although different in ornamental detail, the Diaolou are all built of reinforced concrete and are similar in concept: five or six stories high with a balustrade-equipped terrace at the lowest level and arcaded loggias at the top level to catch the breeze.
We had the opportunity of entering one Diaolou, Mingshilou, and climbed to the rooftop. Similar to the buildings at Li Garden, the Diaolou at Zili Village also applied extra security measures. There are two holes above the main door through which the inhabitants can peep to identify anyone knocking on the door.
“If the inhabitants know the identity of the guest, they will open the door and welcome them. But, if they don’t know, they will shoot them through the holes,” Thomas said.
The furniture and interior decoration show visitors that those who lived in the Diaolou were extremely wealthy families. The beauty of the old standing clock, the chandelier, the paintings and sculptures would impress all visitors. They present a complete picture of the success and aspirations of the returning Chinese emigrants.
The next day, Thomas accompanied us to Xiqiao Hill, which he described as having breathtaking scenery. He said the hill had been hailed as a tourist resort by numerous literati and travelers since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, about 600 years ago.
Xiqiao Hill is about a one-hour drive or 45 kilometers from Guangzhou to the north. The natural beauty of several peaks, caves, rock formations and waterfalls has won the hill “National Forest Park” status from the state government.
On this trip, we visited the former residence of Huang Fei Hong, the martial arts master, a house where literary figures like Zan Ruoshui, He Yunshan, Kang Youwei and Liang Qichao studied Confucianism.
As well as visiting these historic places, our bus took us to the hilltop to see the fascinating giant statue of Guanyin. At 61.9 meters tall, it is the world’s biggest seated Guanyin statue. She is seated in the full lotus position, holding a vial of elixir in her left hand and making a gesture of blessing with her right.
In between the steps leading up to the statue, visitors can see beautiful sculpted reliefs, some of them telling stories in the Buddhist tradition.
Leaving the Nanhai Guanyin Cultural Park, we visited the Zumiao Temple or the Temple of the Ancestors. The name simply means that the site is the oldest temple in town. The most interesting feature of the temple is its rich ceiling decorations that show many Chinese figures and creatures.
Our next stop was the Nanfeng Ancient Kiln in Shiwan, the hometown of the ceramic industry. Built during the Ming Dynasty in the 1500s, its wood fire has lasted for 500 years, and it is still producing ceramics in the original way.
As we were visiting the kiln, an old man showed us how to make pottery with the help of his young apprentice, who turned the pottery wheel by means of his right foot. Within few minutes, the man had created a vase, which was removed from the wheel using a strong cord before being put into the kiln.
Walking through narrow corridors, we arrived at the Shiwan Ceramics Museum, where we saw displays of ancient ceramic collections with various designs and the history of the kiln.
The Borneo Post editor Harry Anak Julin who was on the tour expressed his admiration of the creativity and artistic skill the Chinese people possess.
“I would like to spend one or two more days here to learn about the pottery making process,” he said.
At the end of the tour, we came across another stunning view: It was of a man-made waterfall created from hundreds of pieces of colorful pottery pots over which a steady stream of sparkling water flowed.
Its stunning beauty highlights the creativity of Chinese people from the past to the present.
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