Exploring Xi’an ( “The Road Less Traveled” Overnight Stay at a Farmer’s Home in the Community of Hu Xi’an, September 25, 2004)

Author: * jojo Chi - 27 Posts on this thread out of 30 Posts sitewide.
Date: Nov 1, 2004 - 12:43

You will not see pictures or read descriptions of ancient Chinese monuments, archaeological sites, or artifacts in this post. On the morning of September 25, 2004, we motored from Xi’an to a farmer’s village of Hu Xi’an about 25 miles outside of the city.

The village is divided by a highway. On one side is the old farming village, which is very dilapidated and sparsely populated. On the other side is the new village with good streets, utilities and modern but modest homes. The “new” village is inhabited by farmers who once resided on the other side of the highway. Those farmers still living in the old village are saving their money in the hope of building a home across the highway. The farmer’s village is sort of like a co-op with the new helping the old to make the transition with financing and assisting with farm productivity. The Chinese government provides the plot for the house. The new village is also known as the Xi’an Farmer’s Painting village. Many of the farmers have taken up “primitive” painting of pastoral scenes and have received national recognition for their work.

Each couple in our touring group spent an afternoon and night at the home of one of the farmers in the new village. We help prepare dinner, spent the evening socializing, and slept in their home. Our host family spoke very little English but Ginger has some Chinese and, between that and “sign language”, we managed quite well.

On the way to the farmer's village we passed several "cave" dwellings which are still occupied. We stopped to visit one.

Here is a view of the "old farmer's village" whose inhabitants are striving to "escape".

This picture was taken in front of a house in the new farmer's village. In front of each house is a pile of recently harvested "live stock" corn which was place there to dry out.

Our home stay host, wife and grandchild

Most homes are inhabited by three generations of the family. Here Ginger is posing with the grandmother, grand daughter, and greart grand children of our host family.

Naturally the neighbor's children were curious about us strange looking Westerners

Ginger helping prepare the evening meal

No, Ginger doesn't have four arms. It's just our hostess showing her how to prepare noodle dough.

After dinner, we visited the studio of a local farmer's artist just down the block from our home stay host.

Here is a picture of her album. She has received national recognition.

Ginger bought this picture from her...very reasonable.

Naturally she wanted her to sign the painting and imppress it with her seal...seal impressions still seem to be the custom among artists in China.

We had a delightful time on our overnight home stay!