Century-old Xiaozhou Village

Xiaozhou village is in the heartland of ten thousands hectare of orchard in Zhuhai district, Guangzhou. So far, Xiaozhou village still reserves the stereotyped image of south in China---small bridge over the flowing stream. Walking into Xiaozhou village you will feel like going into a folk custom museum. Dwelling vernaculars were built along the river, and you can see dense shade of old banyan everywhere. Hundreds years old oyster shell house witnesses the development of Xiaozhou village, any of ancient wells is hundreds years old. Xiaozhou village built in the turning of Yuan and Ming dynasty; it has the most typical characteristic of Lingnan water village. Xiaozhou village is one of the 14 conservation districts of historic sites in Guangzhou, and rewarded as zoology model village.

Besides old bridge, old oyster shell house is attractive. Ancestors created a ideal place for people to inhabit, live, and work. Xiaozhou, called Yingzhou in the past time, means an island in the ocean. It is said that Xiaozhou village was built in Yuan dynasty and it well preserved the original appearance. In the past time, when villagers got marriage and hold traditional Chinese wedding, the wedding sedan would go through the famous bridge in the entrance of the village, because it symbolized good luck and eternal love, tie the knot. Now, walking in the Xiaozhou village, standing on the ground of blue flagstone, you will have a direct feeling to taste the flavor of water town.

Everything here manifests the culture of Ming and Qing dynasty. The most representative is the oyster shell house made of oyster shell. According to records, hundreds years ago, surrounding of Xiaozhou village is an ocean. After the tides rise and fall, there leaves a lot of oyster shell and villager use it as material. Once, there are many oyster shell house in Xiaozhou village but now only left 3 rooms due to demolition. The soul of Xiaozhou village is water. Three major river flows along island with clear water. When you play in the river you can even see fishes swimming under the river. It is hard to find a village like Xiaozhou which owns a long stream and stone path.

Everything here manifests the culture of Ming and Qing dynasty. The most representative is the oyster shell house made of oyster shell. According to records, hundreds years ago, surrounding of Xiaozhou village is an ocean. After the tides rise and fall, there leaves a lot of oyster shell and villager use it as material. Once, there are many oyster shell house in Xiaozhou village but now only left 3 rooms due to demolition. The soul of Xiaozhou village is water. Three major river flows along island with clear water. When you play in the river you can even see fishes swimming under the river. It is hard to find a village like Xiaozhou which owns a long stream and stone road. During the late Ming dynasty and the early Qing dynasty, it was the busy period for Xiaozhou village. Villagers in Xiaozhou village had their own wharf in the front of their house, and they rowed boat to ship mature fruit to outside.

Xiaozhou village is an old and a young village. Why say it is old, it is because bricks and walls is old and the cultural elements create by history is everywhere; it is also young because besides the original residents live in Xiaozhou village, some of young people who like arts will come to Xiaozhou village. Those youngsters use their hands and paintbrushes delight this ancient village.

Staying a period with villagers and you will find out what their lives are. Using a word “wander” can better describe my tour in Xiaozhou village, and can describe the cozy life of villager. The old men playing chess along the river with breeze, and kids play their game, that’s the real and comfortable image of Xiaozhou village.