We are here at Huizhou region at the Anhui Province. It is great to get away from the city and enjoy some tranquility. Yesterday when we arrived it was late at night, so we couldn't really appreciate the beauty of this village. It was very impressing waking up this morning and walking around the house and the village. The architecture of this house is really impressive given that the house is over 300 years old. We also woke up to a great breakfast which I definitely ate way too much.
After breakfast, we took a short walk to visit the school of the village. This school is a primary school for children in kindergarten, first and second grade. It is a really small schools with only 14 kids and one teacher. Xu Laoshi, the teacher at the school, has a busy schedule. While he is teaching one of the classes; the others are doing homework by themselves. When it is time for recess he has to correct the homework, so that he can give it back to the students. Xu Laoshi definitely has his work cut out for him. Since today is Saturday, the kids came in today only because we were coming. We sang "Twinkle Twinkle", and even though they don't speak any English, they repeated everything we said to them. We also played with them outside. The kids were so adorable and full of energy. Everyone had their energy drained out, but it seemed like the kids could keep on going.
In the afternoon, we took a walk around the village and visited a tea factory. We also went to an Ancestral House right next to our house that we are staying at. We also went to another house that was built during the Ming Dinasty (1368-1644 A.D.). This house, like many other around this village, has so much history. Many elements of this house are so special. During the Cultural Revolution, some of the structures had to be covered with a mud mixture so that it wouldn't be destroyed.
After dinner we had a nice firework show thanks to Max and Ryan that purchased the fireworks. We sang "Happy Birthday" to Mike, whose birthday is today and Maddie's which was yesterday. Then, we saw a documentary film, called "Yin Yu Tang". This documentary is very special since it talks about the house that was taken down in this village piece by piece and taken to the Peabody-Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts. This house that was moved to the United States is about 300 years old. Right after, Mr. Huang, a local farmer with 50 years of experience, told us stories of how the Huang family came to this village long time ago, and when I say long time ago we are talking since the end of the Tang Dynasty (852 A.D.)
It has been an exciting day full of activities that we will cherish forever. I wish to come back in the future again and unwind in this village.
Happy Birthday Mike!
- Kiara P.
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