Shitan Old Street: Whispers of Huizhou Charm in Crumbling Walls, Echoes of Wartime Resilience

The Marks of Time and Cultural Perseverance of Shitan Old Street —— Shitan Old Street, located in Shitan Village, She County, Anhui Province, China, is a typical representative of Huizhou's ancient villages. Situated in the Huangshan foothills along the Changyuan River, a tributary of the Xin'an River, it has long been a place where Huizhou merchant culture, clan culture, and natural landscapes intertwine. From a historical perspective, Shitan's unique cultural heritage is shaped by its local customs, architectural art, and revolutionary history. --- ### **1. History and Local Customs** 1. **Birthplace of Huizhou Merchants, Clan Society** Shitan Village was founded in the Southern Song Dynasty and flourished during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Primarily inhabited by the Wu clan, it's a significant branch of the Huizhou Wu family. During the heyday of Huizhou merchants, many villagers went out to engage in commerce. Upon returning with wealth, they built ancestral halls, residences, and paved ancient roads, forming a prosperous landscape of "ten bridges and nine temples." Villagers still preserve traditional customs such as ancestor worship, village opera, and grass dragon dances, demonstrating deep-rooted clan culture. 2. **The Intertwining of Farming and Faith** Indigenous people still live in the village, continuing the farming tradition of "living off the land." In a small, nameless temple on a hill outside the old street, an old monk stands as a solitary guardian of Huizhou's "Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism" cultural tradition. Folk activities like temple fairs and prayer ceremonies continue to this day. --- ### **2. Architectural Features: A Microcosm of Huizhou Architecture** 1. **Layout Along the Mountain and by the Water** Shitan Old Street is built along the mountain slope, with houses scattered in a picturesque arrangement, forming a harmonious blend with the green mountains, streams, and ancient bridges. This layout not only adapts to the terrain but also aligns with feng shui principles, reflecting the Huizhou people's wisdom in "seeking good fortune and avoiding misfortune." 2. **White Walls, Black Tiles, Horse-Head Walls** The old houses are mainly brick and wood structures. Although the whitewash on the outer walls is peeling, it doesn't diminish their character. The towering "horse-head walls" serve both fire prevention and aesthetic purposes. The gates of wealthy families are often decorated with brick carvings, featuring themes like "fishing, woodcutting, farming, and studying" and "plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum," showcasing Confucian cultural interests. 3. **Courtyards and the Art of Three Carvings** The courtyards within the houses are narrow and deep, symbolizing "four waters returning to the hall, wealth not flowing out." Although the wooden window lattices, stone gateposts, and brick gate covers are damaged, the exquisite patterns of figures, flowers, and birds still reveal the "superb craftsmanship" of Huizhou artisans. The wood carvings on the beams and rafters of the Qing Dynasty Wu Ancestral Hall are particularly renowned. 4. **Aesthetics in Decay** The old houses' sense of timeworn charm, combined with natural light and shadow, creates a unique "beauty of imperfection." The mottled walls, moss-covered stone steps, and crooked wooden doors are precisely the "brushstrokes of time" in the eyes of artists, echoing the "light, distant, clear, and quiet" artistic conception of the Xin'an School of Painting. --- ### **3. Historical Figures and Revolutionary Contributions** 1. **The Wu Family: A Cradle of Talent** The Wu clan of Shitan has always valued education, producing several successful candidates in the imperial examinations during the Ming and Qing dynasties. In modern times, notable figures include Wu Chengshi (a disciple of the Confucian scholar Zhang Taiyan, China's first "red professor," and a participant in the anti-Japanese resistance) and Wu Jingchao (one of the founders of Chinese sociology). They were deeply influenced by the Huizhou tradition of "valuing Confucianism while engaging in commerce" and possessed a strong sense of patriotism. 2. **Red Soil and Revolutionary Marks** During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Shitan's remote location in the mountains made it a base for New Fourth Army guerrillas. Wealthy families in the village secretly provided supplies to the New Fourth Army in southern Anhui. Around 1949, villagers participated in supporting the Crossing-the-Yangtze Campaign, transporting food and supplies and sheltering wounded soldiers. Slogans such as "Resist the Enemy and Save the Country" still remain on the walls of the old street, bearing witness to the war years. 3. **The Perseverance of Gentry and Commoners** During the revolutionary era, some enlightened gentry members donated funds to establish schools and build roads, promoting local modernization. Ordinary villagers, with the "resilient and pragmatic" Huizhou spirit, protected their homes and cultural heritage amidst the turmoil of war. --- ### **4. Cultural Value and Contemporary Significance** The dilapidated state of Shitan Old Street is not a sign of decline but rather a "living museum" of layered history. It records the rise and fall of Huizhou merchant families, the ingenuity of traditional architecture, the fervor of revolutionary passion, and ordinary people's adherence to faith and life. The presence of the old monk and the traces of indigenous life make it a cultural specimen that has "not been completely museumified." Its aesthetic value lies precisely in its "imperfect authenticity"—luxury is fleeting, but the "rustic beauty" of time and cultural accumulation is eternal.