When businessman Huang Zhiyong walked into a traditional complex in Shiting village in Anhui province in 2012, he found the majority of the buildings lay in ruins. Parts of the wooden structures had decayed and walls had collapsed.
Located in Yixian county, Huangshan, Anhui, once a part of ancient Huizhou prefecture, the complex had served as the residence of an eminent merchant family for 10 generations. However, at that time, only two elderly people were living in it.
As rundown as it was, Huang was still attracted by the old buildings, especially the relatively well-preserved wood, brick and stone carvings, which in his eyes implicitly told stories of the past.
After hard negotiations over four years with 27 property owners of the complex and more than two years’ renovation, he changed the 200-year-old complex into a village homestay, which is attracting people in hordes.
“The restoration process was just like an in-depth communication with historical buildings, which has endowed me with fulfillment and happiness,” says Huang.
According to him, when talking about beauty, modern people often seek what only delights their eyes, but the beauty of traditional Huizhou buildings goes beyond that and can deeply touch one’s heart. The wood, brick and stone carvings play a big part in the buildings’ attractiveness.
“Since owners, often Huizhou merchants, had a major say in the design of the carvings, each piece was a tailored artifact containing creators’ emotions and conveying owners’ ideas about the pursuit of beauty, morality and goodness or family traditions to educate their offspring. No two carvings are alike. In this way, the carvings actually help make the buildings unique,” says Huang.
Reading the exquisite carvings with rich connotations, he not only upholds tradition with reverence but also finds tranquility, a sentiment he aims to impart to all who visit.
“To my surprise, many people share my feelings when they visit the complex. That is the charm of traditional culture. We are all amazed by the precious architecture that can never be copied,” he says.
“If I hadn’t bought this complex, it would not have survived,” says Huang, adding that as a typical Huizhou residence, the complex is made up of wooden structures which require people’s care. When people left, the tiles loosened, frequent rain made the wooden structures rot and eventually led to its collapse.