Faces and Places of Daxu, China

Up Close and Personal – Typical Chinese Home

One of my favorite experiences in Guilin, China, was roaming the streets of Daxu, in Guangxi Province. This ancient town was an important trade center for the area, since it borders the Li River.  Spending time in this thousand-year-old village was like a walk into the distant past.

The people here were friendly and extremely open. Most of them were very willing and patient while we photographed them in their everyday environment. Several friendly folks invited us into their homes and were flattered we were curious to see how they lived, in an up close and personal way. Our guides Andy and Mia, used their fluent Chinese to explain we wanted to learn about and photograph the real Chinese people. It was humbling to see how happy these people are with very limited material belongings.

This man stood in his doorway and watched us as we walked by with our cameras. We nodded in a questioning manner and he smiled, so we knew it was okay to take some photos. Then Andy asked if we could see inside his home and he was very happy to show us around!

This happy, hospitable man showed us his efficient kitchen as the natural light flooded his surroundings.

This talking bird repeated several favorite phrases. My favorite was “Hello Boss!” (in Chinese of course)

This Chinese speaking Mynah bird loved to say “Ni Hao! and Gong Xi!” (Hello, Good Wishes!)

“Mr. Bob” contemplates a question asked by our guide, Andy.

The quaint and well-lit garden and clothesline of Mr Bob. Most typical Chinese homes included an open area of light in the center of the home space.

Mr. Bob shared his humble home with two adult children. Notice the religious shrine in the center of the frame and the open-air kitchen in the back.

Thumbs up! Mr. Bob enjoyed seeing the portraits we captured of him in his home. When he saw one he liked, he gave us his approval with a thumbs up!

Taking a basket for supplies from the rooftop.

My Bob enjoyed showing us around his home and we ate up every minute!

Andy Beales, our amazing guide, made a quick friend, when he asked Mr. Bob if he would show us how he lived in Daxu Ancient Town.