StoneVillageoftheBouyeiethnicgroupinGuizhouProvince.Vastterritory,diversenaturalenvironmentsandwide-rangingsocialandeconomicconditionshavecontributedtoChina’smultiplestylesofdwellingsacrossthecountry’slonghistory.Structuresintraditionalvillagesaremarkedwiththeirrespectivegeographicalconditionsandshowcaserichcharacteristicsofdifferentethnicgroups.ThismagnificentphotobookisthefirstinChinatocompilearelativelycomprehensivecollectionoftraditionalstructuresfromvillagesofdifferentethnicgroupsaswellaslivingconditionsaroundChina.
Threedecadesago,photographerXiaoJiaspentfiveyearsworkingwithaproductionunitfilmingalarge-scaleTVdocumentarytitledDwellingsinChina.HetookpicturesofcountlessstructuresintraditionalvillagesandrecordedfolkculturesinadozenofcitiesandregionsincludingBeijing,ZhejiangProvince,andAnhuiProvince.Whilefilmingthedocumentary,heexposedcountlessrollsoffilm.Thisbookcollectsthesepreciousphotos.WangLuxiang,arenownedscholarandauthor,wasinvitedtogiveanaestheticviewonthebrilliantculturalheritageaspartofChinesecivilization.Wang’snotesdocumenttherealconditionsoftraditionalvillagesinChinaatthetimewithoutahintofbias.
ThebeautifulandprofounddescriptionsandpicturesreflectingexcellenttraditionalarchitectureinChinaaswellasculturefoundinthisbookpaintaclearpictureofChinesevillagesembracedbygreenmountainsandclearwaters.Mostarehometovillagerswhoenjoyhappyandharmoniouslives.Traditionalstructuresthathavebeendisappearingduetourbanizationandmodernizationarealsorecorded.HanMeilin,afamousChineseartist,pennedanintroductionforthisbook,inwhichhewrote:“Theauthor’sobservationsandarrangementenableustoenjoythebeautyofdwellingsscatteredacrossmanyplaces.Wearealsomovedbytheloveandpersistencebehindthoseworks.Cultureneedstobepasseddownfromonegenerationtoanothertobecomeeverlasting.Thespiritofvoluntarilytakingtheresponsibilitytocarryoutthisjobisnecessaryforthedevelopmentofmodernculture.”
ThisbookoffersrichimagesandtextonthedevelopmentofethniccultureinChina’svillagesandtheevolutionoftraditionalarchitecture,whichcouldalsoserveasreferencesfortheresearchofethnonymics,sociologyandarchitectonics.Intheauthor’spreface,heargued:“AcomparisonbetweenChina’straditionalvillagesthreedecadesagoandthosevillagestodaymanifestsradicalchange.ThisshouldinspiredeeperreflectiononhowtobetterprotectpreciousculturalheritagepreservedinChina’straditionalvillages.”
XiaoJiagraduatedfromtheSchoolofHumanitiesofHangzhouUniversity(nowZhejiangUniversity).HethenstudiedattheUniversityofTrierinGermany.AsaClass-Idirector,henowservesasartdirectorofHangzhouOperaandDanceTheatre.HecreateddozensoffilmsandtelevisionprogramsincludingSisterDrum.Hisworkshavewonseveralmajordomesticandinternationalawards.HealsowroteToMeettheGrandCanal,abookonliterarytheory,andRuralStructuresinChina,acollectionofphotos,inadditiontoothers.WangLuxiangisafamousChinesecommentator,seniorplanningdirectorandhostofPhoenixTelevision,andaresearchfellowwiththeChinaNationalAcademyofPainting.XidiVillageinAnhuiProvince.
EryiTowerinHua’anCounty,FujianProvince.
AhugethangkaBuddhaportraitisexhibitedduringtheShotonFestival.
HebianVillageinDingxiangCounty,ShanxiProvince.
SouthLakeinYixianCounty,AnhuiProvince.
MaogusiDanceoftheTujiaethnicgroupfromwesternHunanProvince.