2019 Jinhua Homestay Project description experience authentic Chinese culture in a historical village

Project introduction

The Homestay in Jinhua’s Historical Villages Project, organised by Jinhua Municipal People’s Government Foreign and Overseas-Chinese Affairs Office, began in 2015. Project sessions have already been held in five historical villages, with great success.

The project will select international applicants for a 15 day home-stay experience. During the stay, you will learn about Chinese traditional culture, witness the beauty of historical architecture and experience life with a Chinese family. You will have the chance to communicate with your contemporaries from all over the world. You can put your specialties into practice. For example you might contribute to maintaining a village’s local character and protecting its historical buildings. You can share your stories about Jinhua with the world, in photos or writing, so that others can know more about Jinhua. By spreading the story, the historical villages can preserve their culture and develop sustainable tourism, thus the ancient architecture and historical villages can be well protected.

During the 15 days, the project team will organise a series of activities, for example cultural lectures, folklore experiences and visiting local enterprises. We plan to recruit 40 overseas participants for each session.

The seven sessions to date have attracted over 300 overseas participants from 40 countries. They made an international fairy tale garden, village maps, studied ancient architecture, learnt local folk culture and interviewed villagers to discover ancient stories. They contributed to the protection and development of the ancient villages.

Project aims

The aim of this project is to promote an understanding of the historical villages of Jinhua, Zhejiang Province, by direct experience of local culture. International participants will have the opportunity to live in a traditional village for three weeks. They will learn about traditional Chinese culture, historical architecture and folklore. Additionally, the project is the first stage in a plan to attract tourists from all over the world interested in travelling to historical villages, and to introduce Jinhua's villages to an international audience. Eventually, the villages will be transformed into international level centres for ecotourism and leisure holidays, while preserving original elements of local culture, and bringing international renown to Jinhua.

Conditions for Application

• Applicants should be at least 18 years old.
• Applicants should be in a healthy physical condition.
• Applicants should have an open mind in regards to people, ways of life, and traditions different from your own.
• Applicants should be interested, willing, and ready to actively engage in all aspects of the project.
• Applicants should be fluent in both spoken and written English; Chinese language skills are not required.

Photos and video will be taken of participants during some of the project activities. Applicants must agree to any such material being used, if required, to further the aims of the project.

It is strongly suggested that applicants conduct research on Jinhua Mountain and include their creative ideas and possible contribution in their application.

What we offer

1. Course completion certificate as an international exchange student of Zhejiang Normal University. The certificate will be offered by Jinhua Municipal People’s Government Foreign Affairs Office and Zhejiang Normal University.
2. An opportunity to learn more about the traditional culture and modernization of China.
3. A chance to experience aesthetics of Chinese historical architecture and family warmth.
4. A chance to make friends and communicate with youth from around the world.
5. A platform to apply personal and professional skills.
6. Your expenses after you arrive in Shanghai will be paid for by the project, including:
   • transportation from Shanghai to Jinhua
   • accommodation and meals in Jinhua's ancient villages during the project
   • a programme of cultural activities and visits
   • pocket money (500 Yuan per student)

Event timing and place

Eigth Session

August 10-24, 2019 Jinhua Mountain, Application Deadline: April 30

Online Application address: http://www.jinhua-homestay.com/en/appform.php

Participants’ tasks

Participants should accomplish at least one of the tasks listed below, and also share your experiences on social media.

In the application, applicants should write an essay of at least 600 words detailing how they plan to contribute to the project and which tasks they would like to address.

Cultural Tourism Group

Group aim: During the project, there will be several lectures on Jinhua Mountain culture, that will improve participants’ understanding of Jinhua Mountain culture. Participants of this task group are supposed to collect material about Jinhua Mountain culture and scenic route. After the cultural lectures, participants should organize the culture related documents in English, translate them into their native languages, and design a fun tour route for Jinhua Mountain.

Participants we hope to invite: Students majoring in related fields such as East Asia culture (Chinese culture), Chinese language, literature, or tourism.

Design Group

Group aim: Come up with new ideas of products and their design that can represent Jinhua Mountain and be used, for example, as souvenirs (e.g. postcards, mugs, fridge magnets, T-shirts, etc.).

Participants we hope to invite: Students or groups majoring in related to product design fields.

Publicity Group

Group aim: Write articles on the themes of “Jinhua Mountain in my eyes”, “Jinhua traditional culture in my eyes”, “Jinhua Homestay project in my eyes”, and publish them in newspapers, magazines, and social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube. Make promotional videos for the New Top 10 Tourist Attractions of Jinhua, and publish them on social media sites.

Participants we hope to invite: Students majoring in related fields such as literature or journalism.

Painting Group

Group aim: Present both the natural scenery and history of Jinhua Mountain tourism area and Jinhua traditional culture in paintings.

Participants we hope to invite: Students or groups majoring in related fields such as art or fine arts (painting).

Certificate

Jinhua Municipal People’s Government Foreign Affairs Office will award you a Participant Certificate and an Ambassador of People–People Communication Certificate.

Organisation

Sponsor: Foreign Affairs Office of Jinhua Municipal People's Government.

Person in charge: Xu Shufang.

Former sessions:

• 22 June - 12 July, 2015 in Suoyuan, impressions of session,
• 12 October – 1 November, 2015 in Siping,
• June 22 to July 12, 201, in Yuyuan,
• August 10 to 23, 2016 in Zhiyan.
• June 24 to July 14, 2017 in Suoyuan
• September 6 to 26, 2017 in Shangjing
• August 10 to 30, 2018 in Songxi

Schedule

Please refer to the schedules of the project's previous sessions in Yuyuan and Siping 2015 how the project might be organized.