SEA Hi! Forum | Guo Hai'an: Accompanying and Deepening Cultivation - Rural Micro Intervention Practice and Cultural Revitalization Kunqu Opera | Word. Xibang Village | Culture
Ten years ago, I truly entered the countryside. After walking through more than 1000 villages and conducting practical activities in more than 20 villages, I found that the problem of rural construction ultimately cannot be separated from the word "culture". The problem of rural style ultimately boils down to farmers not recognizing local culture. The dilapidated villages, adobe houses, old residential buildings, and construction traces of specific periods may have historical preservation value in the eyes of planning and construction professionals, but the farmers living there are not comfortable with their own living conditions, and they prefer to renovate adobe houses with ceramic tiles. Because in their hearts, those are symbols of poverty and backwardness.
The revitalization of the countryside should not be rushed. It is necessary to use micro intervention techniques to accompany for a long time and cure the countryside from one point to another like "pricking acupuncture and moxibustion".
I have been conducting revitalization experiments here in Zhujiadian Village, Kunshan, Jiangsu for 8 years. At the beginning, the vacancy rate in Zhujiadian Village was very high. The local government hoped to improve the environment, but since everyone had left, painting walls for each household did not have much value. We suggest concentrating funds to create distinctive highlights. There is an ancient brick kiln in the village, and we used it as a micro intervention point. We spent millions to renovate the upper part of the ancient brick kiln. Gradually, as more people grew, we combined the needs of the government, the village, and tourists to renovate the lower part of the kiln, adding air-conditioned meeting rooms and cafes, and building restaurants in the surrounding area. With the arrival of more people, in order for them to stay, projects such as homestays and museums have also been built around. In this process, the rural landscape has changed and the popularity has increased. Villagers have voluntarily invested in renovating their houses, and even used our project as a blueprint to transform them into Chinese style homestays, gradually cultivating cultural taste. The enthusiasm of all parties is being driven, which is what we want for rural revitalization.
Xibang Village is the birthplace of Kunqu Opera. The initial state of this suburban village was not good, and the village was demolished in disarray. We use a very lightweight structure to build houses, without the need for heavy mechanical operations, so it does not affect the normal life of the people. At first, the villagers felt that the house was not good-looking, so we asked them to recall the familiar house styles from their childhood, and then use modern materials and technology to implement and express tradition. Like houses, traditional Chinese opera art also needs to be innovative to attract public attention in a form that is in line with contemporary people. Kunqu opera performance has transformed into an immersive experience here, with actors walking in real scenes and interacting with the audience, making everyone feel very novel. Through our efforts, the village has been preserved, the texture of the countryside has been restored, and the place where Kunqu was born 600 years ago has once again sounded. The villagers have started to think about their childhood houses, have a new understanding of their hometown, and take pride in the birthplace of Kunqu.
I have been with Xibang Village for nearly ten years, and now I am still here repairing bridges, roads, and toilets. I hope that rural construction can start with minor interventions and gradually accompany rural revitalization with small designs.
