FAFU students digitize ancient halls in Fujian

Reported by Chen Jiemin, Cai Zhengyi, Lin Hongyi ,Yao Jiayi,Li Junhao, Zhuang Ziyi,Shi Jingying,Yang Xiaoyv and Chen Yizhen

To further explore the cultural heritage embedded in the ancestral clan traditions of Fujian and promote the digital preservation of ancient architecture alongside the integration of rural cultural tourism, a social practice team from the 17th Youth Marxist Training Program of Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University (FAFU) conducted a special field study in Zhenghe County, Nanping City, from July 7 to 9, 2026. Led by instructors Chen Yuxuan and Li Wanli, the team of 13 student leaders carried out the "Youth Red Dream-Building Journey" social practice program dedicated to preserving and promoting Chinese cultural heritage.

Supported by the "Heritage of Fujian" Red Tourism Competition project, the team focused its research on Zhenghe County's thousand-year-old villages, distinctive ancestral halls, traditional academies, and terraced settlements. Their work included tracing historical documents, conducting field investigations of ancient villages, digitally documenting multiple ancestral halls, and developing digital educational IPs for traditional academies.

Throughout the project, the team employed a range of professional methods, including on-site architectural surveying, high-resolution photography, oral history interviews with local elders, and the extraction and digital transformation of decorative architectural motifs. More than one thousand images of ancient buildings were collected, forming a comprehensive digital archive dedicated to the ancestral halls of northern Fujian.

In addition, the team produced educational brochures introducing ancestral hall culture and designed cultural and creative products inspired by ancestral halls and terraced landscapes. By combining digital preservation and archival documentation with the wide dissemination of cultural and creative products, the team explored an innovative dual-track model for protecting ancient residences. Through their professional expertise, these young participants contributed to safeguarding Zhenghe's invaluable clan cultural heritage, known as the "Land Transformed by the Virtues of the Ancients," while providing fresh ideas for the systematic conservation of Fujian's historic residences and the high-quality integration of rural culture and tourism.

Fig 1. Team members experience tea tasting at the Zhenghe White Tea Museum, exploring the unique culture of Zhenghe white tea to inspire the design of cultural and creative products related to ancient architecture. (Photo by Cai Jing)

Fig 2. Team members listen to historical and cultural presentations at the Zhenghe Museum, gaining a deeper understanding of the development of local clans and ancient architecture. (Photo by Ma Wangping)

Fig 3. The practice team visits Zhenghe Bamboo Craft City to investigate bamboo cultural and creative products, gathering design ideas for the restoration and adaptive reuse of historic buildings. (Photo by Cai Jing)

Fig 4. The team conducts a field visit to Shizhen Village, learning from successful local practices in the revitalization and adaptive reuse of traditional architecture. (Photo by Cai Jing)

Fig 5. Team members photograph the expansive terraced fields of Nianshan Village, documenting the harmonious coexistence of the natural landscape and the ancient village environment. (Photo by Chen Yizhen)

Fig 6. Team members carefully photograph the "Cultivating Talent for Generations" entrance gateway of the Ye Clan Ancestral Hall in Jitou Village, preserving visual records of northern Fujian's traditional culture of farming and scholarship. (Photo by Cai Jing)

Fig 7. The team surveys the ancestral residence of the founding ancestor of the Ye Clan in Jitou Village, Zhenqian Town, recording architectural details through on-site measurements and documentation. (Photo by Cai Jing)

Fig 8. Team members conduct on-site investigations inside the Ma Clan Ancestral Hall, documenting its architectural layout and decorative features. (Photo by Lian Yule)

Fig 9. The team consults with the management staff of Donggao Academy to learn practical methods for the routine maintenance and preservation of traditional folk architecture. (Photo by Cai Jing)

Fig 10. Team members photograph the traditional painted beams of the Ma Clan Ancestral Hall from below, comprehensively documenting exquisite decorative motifs, including flowers, auspicious mythical creatures, and characters from classical Chinese opera. (Photo by Ma Wangping)

Fig11. The team visits Donggao Academy to study innovative approaches that combine ancestral hall preservation with digital micro-renovation. (Photo by Lian Yule)

Fig 12. The practice team designs and produces a cultural education brochure featuring the themes of Zhenghe's ancestral halls, terraced fields, and white tea, and completes the first printed prototype. (Photos by Cai Jing and Cao Yuqian)

Fig 13. Exhibition panels designed by the team showcasing the cultural elements of Zhenghe's ancestral halls, terraced landscapes, and white tea. (Photo by Zeng Yuxin)

Fig 14. The team conducts a field survey in Dongping Village, documenting the historic architecture preserved throughout the village on a building-by-building basis. (Photo by Cai Jing)

Fig 15. Group photo of the practice team after completing their field investigation at the Ma Clan Ancestral Hall. (Photo by Cai Jing)