The old style hearth in Shaanxi countryside

Xian, a world-famous ancient capital, attracts people from all over the world by its profound history and culture covering thousands of years. The Terra Cotta Warriors Horses Museum, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, the City Wall, and so on all tell people of old legends about this land of wonders. Located 18 kilometers southwest of Xian city, there is a small county, Hu Xian, which is known as the Land of Folk Paintings in China. Why does this county with a population of only 500000 attract such fame? It is because nearly everyone in this small county likes drawing, and most of them are local peasants. With their unique styles, Hu Xian peasant paintings have been well-established for a quite a time. The glamorous folk paintings have lent new vitality to Xian. For those who are interested in folk art, a journey to Hu Xian from Xian is absolutely a good choice.

You can take bus K603 at a cost of CNY2.00 net per person from the Bell Tower bus stop to Xian South Coach Station bus stop, where direct coaches to Hu Xian are available every 30 minutes. The ticket fee is CNY8.50 net per person and the drive takes about an hour. Upon arrival, you may take a taxi at a cost of CNY2.00 net to get to the Hu Xian Farmers Painting Exhibition Hall (Add: No. 14# Huazhan Road, Hu County; Tel: 029-84812871; Admission Fee: CNY5.00 net per person). The Exhibition Hall was built in 1976 to comply with an increasing number of visitor requests from home and aboard. During the last forty years, the peasants have drawn many artworks, some of which have been shown and collected by foreign friends and overseas museums. Nowadays the Hu Xian Farmers Painting Exhibition Hall is divided into eight sections according to the artistic topics of the paintings. The peasant paintings mainly reflect the local people's rural life, their respect of ancestors and their wishes for good luck and so on. The style of these artworks is clear and plainly sketched with strongly contrasting colors. One could perceive that life is primitive and full of joys from those attractive paintings.  The business hour is from 09:00 to 18:00.

Peasants painting in Huxian County

If you have ample time, you can join in the half day peasant painters' family visit, which can be organized through personnel at the Exhibition Hall. They can help you hire a taxi and take you to a local peasant's house in East Han or West Han Villages. The local peasants will be glad to paint for you on the spot. If you are more interested in it, you can try to paint for yourself. For your information, you may have lunch at the peasant's house. Also, you could even stay overnight in the village to experience the rural life of China. The hospitable peasants always welcome guests from all over the world.