Pingyao: Amid the scorching summer heat of north China, 17 Chinese and international volunteers huddle beside the gatehouse of an ancient residence in the historic Pingyao County in Shanxi Province, carefully restoring bricks under the watchful guidance of seasoned professionals.
According to Namibia Press Agency, from Aug. 1 to 13, the Shanghai Ruan Yisan Heritage Foundation, together with Pingyao County, is hosting a volunteer camp focused on architectural heritage conservation in Dongquan Village, a traditional settlement in northern China. Over two weeks, the volunteers will help restore the gatehouse and surrounding walls of the centuries-old residence under the guidance of master craftsmen.
The volunteers will also visit the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Pingyao Ancient City, along with historic sites like Shuanglin Temple and Zhenguo Temple. The itinerary includes meeting inheritors of local intangible cultural heritage, from traditional puppet performers to artisans of Pingyao's famed lacquerware craft.
Among the 17 participants, six are from France. Leading the French group is 26-year-old Aurore Franche, a model with a deep passion for cultural heritage preservation. She sees it as a tangible link to the past and joined the program to gain firsthand experience with traditional Chinese craftsmanship.
Sara Zuniga, a university student from Mexico, expressed her long-standing fascination for history and a desire to understand past civilizations' brilliance. She noted that many of Mexico's historical sites have suffered damage over time, motivating her to protect what remains. Her journey to China aimed to experience the country beyond films and Western media reports.
At the restoration site, Herwann Rocrou, a 23-year-old archaeology student from France, demonstrated fluency in Chinese, which caught the attention of fellow volunteers. Rocrou, a passionate enthusiast of Sinology, joined the Pingyao volunteer program to deepen his understanding of traditional Chinese architecture preservation and restoration.
During the volunteer program, international volunteers collaborated with skilled masons in Dongquan Village, a nationally recognized historic site. They explored ancient structures and relics in Liangcun Village and ventured through Pingyao at night, one of China's best-preserved and inhabited ancient walled cities.
Ding Feng, secretary general of the Ruan Yisan Heritage Foundation, highlighted that the foundation has organized 48 volunteer camps across various provinces since 2010, with more than half taking place in Shanxi. The province is renowned for its ancient architecture, housing over 28,000 historic structures and attracting nearly 1,000 international volunteers over the past 15 years.
"Our goal is to give the public, especially young people, more opportunities to get directly involved in heritage protection," Ding said. "By working with their hands, they form a physical connection to traditional architecture, which deepens their emotional ties and sparks greater enthusiasm, initiative and awareness for preserving cultural heritage."