Huangshan Educational Tour with Craft Culture and the 4 Treasures

After arriving in Huangshan, check in at the hotel, and then start the first experience of the journey - brush making. In the centuries-old traditional brush workshop, watch videos while listening to national intangible cultural heritage inheritors explain the key points of brush making. Personally participate in the delicate processes from material selection to combing, bundling, and shaping, and experience the wisdom of ancient people in brush making. Finally, you can take away the brush you made with your own hands.

Learning Brush Making

In the afternoon, move to Tunxi Ancient Street, known as the "Living Along the River During Qingming Festival". It is not only a living fossil of Huizhou-style architecture but also a gathering place of Huizhou delicacies. Here, you can feel the strong historical atmosphere of the old street, taste characteristic foods such as crab shell yellow sesame cakes and Huizhou-style rice cakes, or walk into the street-side shops selling the "Four Treasures of the Study" for a visit.

Tunxi Old Street

Your Journey’s Rewards:

Make a brush by hand under the guidance of intangible cultural heritage inheritors, and feel the historical atmosphere and taste authentic Huizhou snacks in the time-honored old street.

Educational Focus:

When making brushes, why do different types of hairs need to be used in combination?

Takeaway:

After the wool materials are prepared, it is time to mix them, that is, to combine various types of hairs according to the purpose of the brush and personal preferences. The performance of a single type of hair is often limited. For example, pure wool is too soft, and pure weasel hair is too hard. At this time, it is necessary to mix with other animal hairs to balance the elasticity and softness of the brush, so as to meet different writing and painting needs.

Thought Challenge:

In the context of modern tourism development, how can we better preserve the authenticity of traditional crafts such as brush making while making cultural experiences more attractive and accessible to tourists?

After breakfast, head to Hu Kaiwen Ink Factory, a representative place of Huizhou ink in China, to visit the production processes of ink and inkstones. Entering the factory area, you can visit the production workshop of the ink factory up close and witness dozens of complex procedures in the making of Huizhou ink. Then participate in the gold-tracing process of Huizhou ink making, sketching exquisite patterns or characters on the surface of the formed ink ingots, making each piece of ink unique. After the experience, visit the production process of inkstones, learn the key points of inkstone making, appreciate the shape, structure and exquisite pattern carvings of inkstones, and feel the wisdom of craftsmen.

Visiting the Making of Huizhou Ink

Students Listening to Master Explain Huizhou Ink Making

Students Gilding Huizhou Ink

Visiting Inkstone Carving

In the afternoon, travel to Tangmo Village, known as the "Living Fossil of Huizhou Ancient Architecture". Visit Huizhou-style gardens such as Tangan Garden, Water Street, Shadi Pavilion, Gaoyang Bridge, as well as ancient relics including ancestral temple groups, thousand-year-old ginkgo trees, ancient wells, Ming Dynasty stone carvings and steles with authentic works of famous artists. Learn about the family traditions and mottos of major surnames in Huizhou in Jishan Hall and Shangyi Hall, and think about the relationship between the numerous talented people in Huizhou and family education. Later, in the century-old houses or ancestral temples in the ancient village, you will learn the basic skills of rubbing, extending the cultural experience of the Four Treasures of the Study from "ink" to the practice of traditional skills.

Visiting Tangmo Village

Your Journey’s Rewards:

Visit Hu Kaiwen Ink Factory to learn about the traditional craftsmanship of thousand-year-old Huizhou ink and inkstone making techniques, experience the delicate gold-tracing process with your own hands, feel the ancient rubbing art in Tangmo Ancient Village, and immerse yourself in the profound heritage of the Four Treasures of the Study.

Educational Focus:

Why is Huizhou ink known as a "treasure of the study"?

Takeaway:

Huizhou ink is a special pigment mainly used for traditional calligraphy and painting, made from pine smoke, tung oil smoke, lacquer smoke and glue as the main raw materials. There are various types of Huizhou ink in past dynasties, and some Huizhou ink is made from more than 10 kinds of precious materials. Huizhou ink integrates painting, calligraphy, carving, modeling and other arts, making the ink itself a comprehensive art treasure.

Thought Challenge:

In the process of promoting traditional cultural experiences such as ink making and rubbing, how to ensure the authenticity of the craftsmanship while making these ancient arts more appealing and accessible to modern visitors?

Set off early in the morning for Qiyun Mountain, known as the "Sacred Land of Taoism". Take the cable car up the mountain to overlook the unique scenery of the Danxia landform. After arriving at the top of the mountain, beside the ancient temple with a strong Taoist cultural atmosphere, follow a professional Tai Chi master to learn basic Tai Chi moves. In the environment surrounded by green mountains, learn the methods of breathing and body stretching in Tai Chi and feel the Taoist philosophy.

Students Learning Tai Chi

In the afternoon, return to the Huizhou bark paper making workshop to start the experience of "paper" among the Four Treasures of the Study - Huizhou bark paper making. Under the guidance of intangible cultural heritage inheritors, you will learn about the long history and unique value of bark paper. Huizhou bark paper was once an important paper for writing and classics in ancient times, and now it is the only designated paper for the Winter Olympics. During the experience, you will personally participate in the key processes of bark paper making: paper fishing and paper baking. Finally, you can take your own work away, adding a sense of achievement from personal creation to the complete experience of the Four Treasures of the Study.

Watching the Paper-Making Process

Your Journey’s Rewards:

Visit the beautiful scenery of Qiyun Mountain, the sacred land of Taoism, learn Tai Chi in the scenery where nature and culture blend, and appreciate Taoist philosophy. Make Huizhou bark paper by hand and feel the charm of intangible cultural heritage.

Educational Focus:

What is the difference between Huizhou bark paper and rice paper?

Takeaway:

Rice paper is mainly made from sandalwood bark and rice straw. It is white, soft, and has strong ink absorption, making it suitable for calligraphy and painting. Huizhou bark paper is made from mulberry bark. It is tough and wear-resistant, with a slightly yellowish color, strong tensile strength, and good durability, making it more suitable for writing, classics printing, and packaging.

Thought Challenge:

The craftsmanship of Huizhou bark paper is complex, time-consuming, and labor-intensive. Nowadays, there are fewer craftsmen who have mastered the complete skills. How should this craftsmanship be inherited?

You will have a whole day to explore Huangshan in depth. Take the Yungu Cable Car up the mountain to watch Huangshan surrounded by clouds and mist, as if you are in a fairyland. As the cable car shuttles between the peaks, you can easily enjoy the distant views of classic stone landscapes such as "Magpie Perching on Plum" and "Monkey Watching the Sea", and feel the magnificent scenery of Huangshan.

Yungu Cable Car

The Beautiful View on the Huangshan

A Monkey Gaping at the Sea

In the afternoon, head to the most challenging and scenic area of Huangshan - the West Sea Grand Canyon. Known as "the most beautiful canyon in Huangshan", it is famous for its strangeness, danger, depth and seclusion. Walk along the trail built on the cliffs, watch the cliffs surrounded by clouds and mist. When the clouds and mist disperse, the strange peaks, grotesque rocks and vigorous ancient pines in the deep valley are revealed, presenting a magnificent scene. When the sun sets in the west, the sunlight shines on the rock walls, adding a bit more grandeur and mystery.

the West Sea Grand Canyon

Your Journey’s Rewards:

Feel the magnificent scenery of Huangshan, explore the mysterious West Sea Grand Canyon, and immerse yourself in the stunning natural beauty of Huangshan. While appreciating, discuss and learn about the formation reasons of Huangshan's unique landscapes.

Educational Focus:

How did the grotesque rocks of Huangshan form?

Takeaway:

The rocks of Huangshan were once part of a vast ocean. Later, due to crustal movements, underground magma erupted to form the mountain. After years of continuous crustal uplift, the mountain emerged above the ground, and fractures and subsidence occurred. After millions of years of wind and rain erosion, it finally became the current landscape of jagged rocks and steep cliffs.

Thought Challenge:

In the development of mountain tourism like Huangshan, how to balance the convenience of tourist facilities (such as cable cars) with the protection of the original natural ecology and landscape integrity?

In the early morning, head to the Huangshan viewing platform and quietly wait for the sunrise. Watch the golden sunlight shining on the mountains; the whole scene is magnificent and sacred, and you can record this shocking moment with your camera. After the sunrise, take the cable car down the mountain. After arriving at the foot of the mountain, take a short rest to prepare for the afternoon ancient village cultural experience.

The Sunrise on the Mountains

In the afternoon, travel to Hongcun, an ancient village with a history of over 800 years. Known as "the village in Chinese paintings", it is famous for its unique layout and exquisite Huizhou-style architecture. Wander through the alleys of the village, admire the beautiful scenery and appreciate the folk culture of the village. Then experience fish lantern making. You will personally make the frame of the fish lantern, paste paper, paint and decorate. Every step, from polishing bamboo strips to drawing fish scale patterns, is full of fun. After completing the fish lantern made by yourself, walk through the ancient village alleys with your work or take photos in the village with the fish lantern.

The Reflection of the Old Houses in Hongcun Ancient Village

Fish Lantern Making

A Beautiful Fish Lantern Completed

After all activities conclude, you will proceed to the airport according to your itinerary and return to your hometown with the knowledge of Chinese culture you have acquired.

Your Journey’s Rewards:

Admire the magnificent sunrise of Huangshan, wander in the ancient village of Hongcun, appreciate the folk culture, learn about the historical and cultural implications of fish lanterns and make traditional fish lanterns by hand.

Educational Focus:

What are the characteristics of Huizhou-style architecture in Hongcun?

Takeaway:

The technological characteristics and modeling styles of Huizhou-style architecture are mainly reflected in architectural entities such as folk houses, ancestral temples, memorial archways and gardens. Huizhou folk houses are a typical type of patio houses, which can not only reduce the direct sunlight in hot weather but also facilitate ventilation. The appearance of the folk houses has a strong sense of integrity and beauty, with high walls enclosing them, horse-head walls (which have a fire-proof function), dark tiles and white walls, presenting an elegant and generous color scheme. In terms of decoration, most of them adopt brick, wood and stone carving techniques. As a traditional architectural school, Huizhou-style architecture integrates antiquity, simplicity and richness, and still maintains its unique artistic charm to this day.

Thought Challenge:

In the development of cultural tourism in ancient villages like Hongcun, how to protect the original style of the village and the authenticity of folk crafts while enhancing tourists' participation and experience?