Nearly 8,000 people swarmed into Xucun village, in Shanxi’s Heshun county, during the third Heshun International Art Festival starting on August 2.

The ancient village, which dates back to the Spring and Autumn Period (771-476 BC), received 21 well-known artists from around the world. Together with local residents, the artists painted the village to echo the festival’s theme “Xianghui in Xucun village”. “Xianghui” has two different meanings in Chinese, it can mean painting in the village and also could mean meeting?and integration.

Qu Yan, the founder and chief organizer of the Heshun International Art Festival introduces the festival in front a painted wall in Xucun village, Shanxi province. [Photo by Fu Yupeng/Xinhua]

The festival asked artists to create paintings in Xucun village and combine different arts and cultures.

“At first, we invited artists to paint on public walls and renovate the shabby walls with art. Then we will reconstruct the villagers’ houses in an artistic way, as long as they approve,” said Qu Yan, the founder of Heshun International Art Festival.

“Xianghui means village painting” he said, “as well as a meeting, a colorful arts meeting in Xucun village.”

A local talks to a foreign artist in Xucun village at the third Heshun International Art Festival in Xucun village, Shanxi province. [Photo by Fu Yupeng/Xinhua]

In fact, it’s not only where the arts meet and integrate, but also the meeting of thoughts of artists and villagers and different approaches for ancient village protection.

Influenced by Qu Yan’s idea of renovating the old as old, Xucun residents fix their old residences rather than tearing them down.

“Xianghui” or integration was mostly displayed by the artists at the festival.

Volunteers teach piano to local children at the third Heshun International Art Festival in Xucun village, Shanxi province. [Photo by Fu Yupeng/Xinhua]

Tinho, a Brazilian painter blended in with Xucun village. When Tinho painted in an underwaist, shorts and a straw hat, Qu jokingly said, he looked just like a local.

For local villagers, the integration has brought new ideas. Thanks to the art festival every two years, they are now used to the artists in the village as well as the curious visitors.

In addition to painting, this year’s festival scheduled lectures, piano concert, design exhibits, and free classes.

Bai Qingfu, a local of Heshun county, brings his clay sculptures to the third Heshun International Art Festival in Xucun village, Shanxi province. [Photo by Fu Yupeng/Xinhua]

English and piano classes are very interesting to them, said 13-year-old Yang Shilin, a local of Xucun village.

“The children in the village are quick to learn, they should have an opportunity to receive more thoughts and ideas. Such classes may enlighten them and bring some of them to the arts,” said Wang Nanming, an organizer of the festival.

Bai Fuqing is a local from a neighboring village in Heshun county. He brought his clay sculptures to this year’s festival, not for sales but to show other artists.

“The artists who discussed clay sculpture with me are mostly Chinese. Most foreign artists are not familiar with this Chinese traditional art,” according to Bai, saying that many want to buy his works, but he refused to sell them. “I just like clay sculpture and want to join in the festival’s fun.”

Actually, many folk artworks were exhibited at the festival.

“Though modern arts were brought to the village, they did not change the traditional arts. On the contrary, they inspired the traditional,” Wang Nanming said, in responding someone’s concern that traditional arts may extruded by modern arts, he added that due to the art festival, some dusty pieces and obscure folk art were brought out by locals, again.

Mario Belem, an artist from Spain, paints on a wall in Xucun village, Shanxi province. [Photo by Fu Yupeng/Xinhua]

Moreover, the festival not only brought cultural integration, but also more income.?The agritainment operators in the village received more guests during the festival. Local Wei Huanlu opened a convenience store at the first festival. “Thanks to the art festival, the store’s daily sales income doubled,” Wei said.

Qu Yan explained that “the Village is just like homeland. Our goal is to preserve our homeland.”

The experience of Xucun is expected to be an example for sustainable ancient villages’ protection in China.