Encountering Ningbo Chic in a Millennium-Old Village
The waist drum performance.
The village gift exhibits.
The bamboo handcraft.
Zoumatang Village, known as the “China’s Top Scholar Village”, showcases a vibrant blend of traditional culture and contemporary resurgence in Jiangshan Town, Yinzhou Distract, Ningbo. At 15:20 on October 22nd, a live-streaming series made its way to Zoumatang Village’s Cultural Hall, attracting over 200,000 viewers. What kind of fusion can be sparkled when the millennium-old village meets the “China chic”? Follow our lens to find out.
The event kicked off amidst a lively performance by the renowned Waist Drum Team consisting of energetic “aunties” from Jiangshan. Zhang Chunxia, the team’s leader, revealed that the team of 30 members, all aged over 50, is an indigenous artistic group.
A group of children performing on the konghou, an ancient Chinese harp, drew the attention of many visitors. The Konghou Art Intangible Cultural Heritage Inheritance Base is in the village of Zoumatang and the instrument’s distinctive melody has long been in concord with the beauty of the ancient village. “Is learning the konghou difficult?” and “How long have these kids been playing?” The traditional musical instrument generated enormous curiosity, with some visitors even inquiring about where they could learn to play the konghou.
The konghou, with its origins dating back to the Qin and Han dynasties (221 BC – 220 AD) and reaching its zenith during the Sui and Tang dynasties (581–907AD), has traveled far and wide, as the Silk Road has stretched across the world. In recent years, to ensure the broader and deeper preservation of konghou art, the Zoumatang Cultural Hall initiated the lectures of “Music by Your Side”, offering free konghou courses to the public. Hundreds of children have benefited from this initiative.
The cultural hall serves as a cradle for nurturing cultural and artistic talents. Over the years, various artistic groups from Zoumatang Village’s cultural hall have made an appearance on larger stages. Currently, the cultural hall has inaugurated 13 cultural and sports clubs, including a dance troupe, Yue opera club, and konghou room, engaging more than 200 participants. Among them, the village’s dance troupe has repeatedly graced municipal-level stages, thus breaking new ground.
On the same day of the event, innovative cultural and agricultural products － typical of rural cultural halls － were exhibited as the first batch of the top ten “Village Gifts” from Yinzhou District. The crowd was captivated by these stunning gifts, such as the “Scholar Cake” from Zoumatang Village’s Cultural Hall and the intangible cultural heritage bamboo weaving from Dongshan Village’s Cultural Hall.
The Scholar Cake, an “internet-famous snack” that continuously seeks novelty, is the signature village gift of Zoumatang Village. “Auntie Xiaomei”, owner of the brand, set a good example to locals when she started her business right at her doorstep.
“Auntie Xiaomei” made a special trip to Yuyao to learn the techniques of a local traditional cake, Liangnong Big Cake. After delving into its techniques through experimentation she finally created her own brand “Scholar Cake,” an innovation to this intangible cultural heritage. Although the laborious process of making scholar cakes involves seven to eight steps, Auntie Xiaomei finds joy in it every day; she has made it a fruitful and promising local business.
“How exquisite it is! This character ‘Fu (of auspicious meaning)’ is hand-woven from bamboo.” “It’s rare to see traditional bamboo handcrafts like this!” At the event, villagers raved about the village gifts from Dongshan Village’s Cultural Hall since each piece of bamboo-ware is a fine embodiment of the artisan’s craftsmanship. This village is nestled amidst lush mountains and bamboo groves. Locals blessed with this favorable environment depended on bamboo selling and weaving for their livelihood in earlier years.
Other eye-catching exhibits include lacquer items, particularly Dongwu’s lacquer pens and lacquer teacups. Lacquer is a durable, wear-resistant, and corrosion-resistant natural lacquer that maintains its shine over time. The Cultural Hall of Tongyi Village frequently organizes activities for villagers to inherit and promote the lacquer craftsmanship. They incorporate the cultural charm of the Song dynasty (960–1279 AD) into the production of their products. One example is inspired by a famous Song emperor’s painting named Auspicious Crane – a pen picks up a pale azure with meticulously hand-painted lacquer, creating a work of art with a tinge of Song dynasty elegance.
Ying Huaqin is the third-generation inheritor of the Tiger Head Shoe tradition from Xingcheng Community in Jiangshan Town. Tiger Head Shoes come in different sizes and are primarily used for weddings, one-month-old celebrations, and birthdays. In ancient times, it was believed that Tiger Head Shoes could ward off evil spirits for children and symbolized strong and healthy growth. Ying Huaqin underscored the high-standard workmanship of the shoes which take at least one week to make a single pair.
Each cultural and agricultural innovation product has opened a window for Yinzhou’s local culture. These village gifts are brimming with the fruits of rural revitalization and common prosperity, and more are waiting for you to discover.
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