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Babushka (Hu Xiaogang) and family in Changting, West Fujian

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AmoyMagic--Guide to Xiamen & Fujian
Copyright 2006 by Sue Brown & Dr. Bill, Xiamen Univ.
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Aerial photo of Xiamen and Yuandang Lake  Photo by Mr. Zhu Qingfu

Babushka--Changting's premier photographerBabushka's Album!
(Click thumbnails on this page for larger image; hover cursor over image, without clicking, for brief intro)

Tang Dynasty Wall of Changting, West FujianResidents of West Fujian's Changting (aka "Little Red Shanghai,") call the famous photographer Hu Xiaogang "Babushka” because he came from Manchuria, and had blond hair in his youth. Babushka loves the local customs and architecture of Changting, which writer Rewi Alley called "One of China's two most beautiful mountain towns." Babushka's nonstop monologue brought to life places, people, even ancient trees, that I’d have never given a second thought to.

“Just three days ago,” Babushka said, “I found a marvelous old home down the street that nobody even knew about! Three Shanghai artists were so excited they wanted to rent it…and on the road to TuFang, I found revolutionary era artwork in an abandoned farm…and the source of the Ting River is so clean and the air so pure that the ancients flocked there to find the elixir of immortality…”
Babushka on a rooftop taking photos of a walled Hakka village in Tufang, Changting (in Longyan, West Fujian)

It seemed that Babushka knew everything about everywhere, but it turned out he has a prodigious memory. He said, “I remember seeing you and your family in the dining hall the last time you passed through here.” That had been 8 years earlier!
Babushka on a rooftop taking photos of a walled Hakka village in Tufang, Changting (in Longyan, West Fujian)
Babushka would go anywhere and do anything for a photo! He perched precariously atop rooftops, or weaseled himself into Hakka wedding festivities, or waltzed unannounced into ancient dwellings to photograph the architecture, furniture, and people--but no one ever complained. Who could get upset at the ebullient Babushka? And over the course of our exploits (several trips now, including one in which I wrote and filmed 4 TV episodes about the place), we've helped bring about some change in the meausures to protect some of West Fujian's most valuable historic and cultural relics.


A Hakka grandmother in Changting, West FujianThe night before I left Changting, Babushka and his wife and daughter visited my room with several albums filled with priceless photos of places, people, and festivals. “Use anything you want!” he said. “I’m happy to help.”

If you too fall in love with Changting, thank Babushka, the matchmaker. He introduced me to enough Changting cultural, historical and natural attractions that I could easily spend a month in the city that author Rewi Alley said was one of China’s two most beautiful mountain towns!

For more about Changting (aka "Little Red Shanghai"), read Amoy Magic--Guide to Xiamen and Fujian, or The Fujian Adventure. Available in Fujian bookstores, or Order Online.

Click thumbnails for larger images. (Hover cursor over thumbnail, without clicking the mouse, for brief description).
Chinese wooden covered bridge in Longyan, West Fujian Exquisite Chinese wooden covered bridge in Longyan, West Fujian

Down the hatch!  Drinking the potent local liquor at the Hakka  100-pot-festival in West Fujian, Changting Wrestling the 300 pound card (with heavy Pusa Idol inside).  Last guy of the day to survive gets the beautiful Hakka maiden!  Photo taken at annual Hakka festival in Changting, West Fujian

Children propped up on poles from morning to night, in annual Zougushi festival in West Fujian Children propped up on poles from morning to night, in annual Zougushi festival in West Fujian Clown in the annual Zougushi festival procession in Changting, West Fujian

Children propped up on poles from morning to night, in annual Zougushi festival in West Fujian 1920s era political cartoons in abandoned farmhouse on the road to Tufang, Changting, West Fujian

Children propped up on poles from morning to night, in annual Zougushi festival in West Fujian Children propped up on poles from morning to night, in annual Zougushi festival in West Fujian

Guzzling the liquor at the annual Hakka 100 pot festival in Changting, West FujianAnnual 100 pot feast in Changting, West Fujian

Changting's Tang Dynasty Gate (Changting, aka Little Red Shanghai, in West Fujian) Hakka grandfather, in Changting, West Fujian

Entrance to Mazu Temple in Changting, West Fujian Aerial view of Mazu (Matsu) temple in Changting, West Fujian

Ornate wall of Mazu (Matsu) temple in Changting, West Fujian Old black and white photograph of 1930s Changting, during the time it was the start of the Long March, which was followed by the Short April

Twin 1,000-year-old trees in the courtyard of the Hakka Museum, Changting, West Fujian Snow falls in Changting, West Fujian Beautiful Hakka maiden.  Babushka loves Hakka maids' aprons!

Waterfalls in Changting, near the source of the Ting River, of which Mao Zedong, the poet, wrote, "Red Banners leap over the Ting River!"

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Last Updated October 2006

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