TextbyWangHongguangPhotoscourtesyofLianchengCountyTourismOffice
Todeveloptourism,thelocalgovernmentsofmanyChinesevillagesinviterenownedarchitectsanddesignerstoguidevillagerenovationanddevelopment.Althoughtheresultingbuildingsandservicescatertourbanresidents,theyhavenoconnectiontothelocals.
Peitian,avillageinLongyanCity,FujianProvince,adoptedanewmodel.Withanareaofonlyahalfsquarekilometer,Peitianhasattractedaheavytouristflowwithitsdwellingscharacterizedas“ninehallsand18wells”aswellasanintactarchitecturalcomplexdatingtotheMing(1368-1644)andQing(1644-1911)dynasties.NewVillage
OnNovember11,2015,thesocialenterpriseGengxinVillageCo-creationinvitedPeitianvillagerstoameetingtodiscusstourismdevelopmentintheirhome-town.Atthemeeting,villagerssharedtheiropinions,whichledtoGengxinproposingtheconceptofco-creation.
“Villagerswholiveinandbuildthesettlementaretheinheritorsoflocalcultureandcraftsmanship,”remarksCheMingyang,founderofGengxin,whograduatedfromtheBusinessandEconomicsSchoolofHongKongUniversityandattendedtheDesignThinkingcourseatStanfordUniversity.“Ifwejustprovidemoneybutdonotproperlystimulatetheircreativity,theywillbeexcludedfromvillagegrowthandfailtointegratetheirlifestyleswiththefutureoftheirhomeland.It’snotfair.”
PaperCuttingArtB&Bwasconstructedbasedonthisconcept.Thedesignershadthefarmingtoolsandwoodtakenfromthegateandtheinhabitant’spapercuttingsframedandhungonthewalls.Atimehonoredtablewasplacedinthecenterofthehall,decoratedwithalampshademadefromachickencoop.Themakeoverinjectedthewoodenhousewithbothhistoricalflavorandmoderntaste.CaoLinfeng,thewomanlivingthere,wasselectedasheadofRongxiResidence,onceawomen’sschoolandnowavisitor’scentertointroducelocalhistoryandculturetotourists.
WuYachun,Cao’shusband,overseesthefamily’sbamboogrove.Harvestingbambooshootsisahardwork,butthebambooforestsceneryalongthewaywithgurglingbrooksandflourishingmushroomisbreathtakingtourbanites.So,theGengxingrouphelpedWudevelopabamboosproutsdiggingsummercampproject.TheirsonWuJinliangusesasmartphonetohandlereservations,communicatewithguestsanddesigners,planactivitiesandcollectfeedback.Thefamilyalsosellshomemadegingersugar,ricewineandvinegarassouvenirs.