"There are few places that are truly authentic and truly inspiring. I have only seen two places on Earth that behold both, one of them is my new home on the other side of the planet."

"It was an experience of a lifetime. We came to be very close with the village, the people, and the architecture that it felt almost unnatural to leave! We saw tea, ink, benches, and roof tiles being produced, and we had a clumsy go at production. I ended up fishing early one morning with one Mr. Huang, and helping one Ms. Huang plant her garden on an upper terrace one late afternoon!"

"[It] was the most unique look at China's past and the direction of its future that we were able to see thus far."

"One of the best experiences I have had so far on this trip is the weekend trip to Huangcun, Anhui. The beauty of the quaint village, the simplicity of the peoples' lives, and their hospitality blew me away...."

"It is refreshing to see traditional Chinese society and architecture preserved and incorporated into modern society as opposed to seeing it destroyed to make way for newer things."

"Coming back to that village ended up being a pretty emotional experience for me. When I left Huangcun a year ago, I didn't know when I would come back, if ever. And now there I was, wandering around the dark courtyards to the nighttime chorus of frogs, bugs, and bats. Stone floors, smoothed and rounded from hundreds of years of footsteps; wooden walls with intricate carvings; doors that creak under their own weight; beds that make up for their uncomfortableness with their beauty. It is simply indescribable. And I realized something: I'm pretty sure that this is the place that made me want to come back to this country in the first place. And I was lucky enough to be back there. That mixture of nostalgia and general gratitude hit me pretty hard."

"It's so wonderful to go back to Huang Cun again, which is always very special for our students. They all wish they could stay in the village longer."

"Visiting Huang Cun was the highlight of our trip to China."

Visiting Huangcun is an amazing experience.  It's like stepping back in time.  The house is beautiful.  I loved my room, my cozy bed, and the fabulous meals.  Our hosts did a wonderful job of introducing us to people in the village who had wonderful stories to tell, crafts to show, and traditions to share.  The whole time I was there, I kept imagining what it must have been like for the family that lived here 100, 200, 300 years ago.  I can't wait to blend the reality of Huangcun  with my imagination for one of my books.

We were warned on arrival that the house had thin walls and that we might be disturbed by the sounds of others.  But the nights were so quiet I was bothered hearing my own breathing.  I had not expected thick silence, the absence of electrical hums and high-pitched frequencies.  No dogs, no shouting neighbors,  only one cat on the last morning meowing for breakfast and at the exact minute I needed to wake up. 

We struck luck being in Huang Cun on the 35th day of an 80-year-old matriarch's death.  Her three daughters wailed in competitive intensity in front of the paper mansion and its life-size chairs for the deceased mother and father.    Family members approached,  two at a time,  old to young, and bowed three times, paper money was burned in a basin, and ashes with flame tails sailed upward and descended inert onto our backs.  (We hoped they were inert).  The family liked the presence of an international entourage.  A proud dad and old granny offered to sell us their troublesome (and much spoiled) kids.They made us feel very welcome. Lisa took photos like a professional, and the family was pleased that the occasion was being well documented. On the 35th  day, we marched with the family to the cemetery -- along the road, over a muddy footpath crossing the watery field, and up a hill festooned with silver and gold foil wreaths.   There was a very long symphony of  bombs that made our ears ache, send-off firecrackers that represented the many branches of the family.    Lisa, Lou and I waited for the peak of this spectacle  -- the burning of the mansion.  The last couple bowed, and there was a rather subtle signal for people to head away from the grave and people quickly departed.  We took that to mean we should walk down the path to be out of harm's way.  But as soon as our backs were turned, two men set fire to the mansion, or so we learned when we turned around and saw that more than half of Happy Ancestor Manor had already gone into ashy orbit.   No one else seemed to even notice.

There is so much more we experienced.  But I think you have an idea how much magic we saw there. The ghosts were all good ones.

A Huang Cun visit would be an interesting one for many on cultural tours.  The conditions can be a challenge to some, but in part overcome with full disclosure,  and honestly but selectively phrased to highlight what is rustic, rare, and authentic.  We took the conditions in good stride and I imagine most would.

Thank you once again for a wonderful experience.
Amy