What is the origin of the -tall woman- who is popular in the Greater Bay Area-

As you approach the entrance of Langtou Village, a lush green lotus pond greets you, followed by a striking row of ancient buildings adorned with blue brick and green tiles.

Venturing deeper towards the pond, you’ll find a graceful outdoor installation known as “High Woman,” standing quietly at the water’s edge, gazing at the remnants of lotus flowers.

Everything about this scene hints at a new chapter for Langtou Village, a historic Lingnan village with a history spanning over 700 years.

The prototype of “High Woman” originates from France. This piece is a custom art installation created for Langtou as part of a special exhibition dedicated to the works of Alberto Giacometti, regarded as one of the greatest sculptors of the 20th century. Recently, 79 original works from Giacometti made their way across the ocean to Langtou Village for the exhibition.

It’s worth noting that Giacometti never visited Langtou during his lifetime. So, why has his special exhibition found a home in this ancient Chinese village, aptly titled “The Monumentality of One: Giacometti in Langtou”?

This exhibition is one of the highlights celebrating the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and France. Set in the symbolic architecture of Langtou—Chunyangtai, which opened on April 20, 2023—this new structure is tucked away behind a wall and banyan trees. It features three stories and covers over 8,000 square meters, with 25 lotus ponds on its roof. The design harmonizes Lingnan aesthetics, rural charm, and modern elements, serving as a multifaceted cultural center that includes an exhibition hall, a library, a reading room, and a theater.

Interestingly, the architect behind Chunyangtai is Zhang Yonghe, who also co-curated the Giacometti exhibition. His inspiration for bringing Giacometti’s work to Langtou came from the striking resemblance between Giacometti’s iconic figure sculpture “High Woman I” and the straight lines of the ancient buildings in the village.

“High Woman I” is characterized by sharp, elongated lines, reminiscent of the numeral “1.” Langtou Village features a sequence of 26 ancient temples and study halls stretching over 400 meters along the pond’s edge, creating a visual parallel to the Chinese character “一” (one). According to Zhang, this not only reflects the unique architectural characteristics but also illustrates Langtou’s stable social structure over 700 years.

The vertical “1” of Giacometti’s work and the horizontal “一” of Langtou symbolize a powerful sense of commemoration—this duality is at the heart of the exhibition’s theme.

The 79 masterful artworks are displayed across four thematic exhibition halls, with one room replicating Giacometti’s cramped Parisian studio of less than 24 square meters, featuring the original “High Woman I.”

To spark interaction between “1” and “一,” Zhang included works by local Chinese artists, creating a dialogue between Eastern and Western art, as well as between contemporary and traditional styles. This includes photography by contemporary artist Qian Li and an outdoor installation titled “Scenic Series” created by architects He Jianxiang and Jiang Ying, inspired by “High Woman I.”

These slender “High Woman” installations, six in total, stand silently in various locales around the village, overlooking the ancient buildings with their weathered bricks and tiles. They create a sense of timelessness that captivates visitors, allowing them to experience a blend of the past and present.

This unique artistic experience has drawn many Giacometti enthusiasts from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area and beyond. This is particularly significant as it’s been eight years since a large-scale Giacometti exhibition has taken place in China, marking the only open exhibition of his works in Asia throughout 2024, with the event running for over 120 days until February 7 of next year.

While enjoying the exhibition, many visitors expressed astonishment at how a traditional village could host such a world-class event. In fact, since its completion, Chunyangtai has provided an ideal space for various exhibitions and has quietly sparked a cultural renaissance in Langtou Village.

Without Chunyangtai’s cultural foundation, the Giacometti exhibition might never have reached Langtou.

So, how did Chunyangtai come to be?

Tracing back to 2021, Zhang Yonghe recalls his first visit to Langtou, marveling at the village’s well-preserved ancient buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties while noting its tranquility—only a few families still called it home.

Like many traditional villages, Langtou faces the challenges of population decline and modernization. Living conditions lag behind contemporary standards, resulting in the abandonment of several homes as residents gradually moved to create new settlements on the northern side of the village.

In 2021, Langtou Village encountered a crucial opportunity. The People’s Government of Huadu District, Guangzhou, signed a strategic cooperation agreement on rural revitalization with the Guangdong Vipshop Charity Foundation. This innovative project employs a “government + enterprise + village collective” cooperation model.

From the beginning, the project emphasized its public welfare nature, with the foundation investing over 200 million yuan in planning and construction, ensuring that all profits remain local.

However, waking the ancient village from its slumber is no easy feat. A cover story in China News Weekly highlighted that traditional villages face new threats beyond past destructive methods, such as neglecting cultural resources in favor of tourism or displacing original residents.

As non-renewable resources, traditional villages require carefully considered planning to avoid irreversible damage.

Consequently, the project’s first priority was to collaborate with top experts and scholars, forming a planning advisory team that includes Professor Shao Yong from Tongji University, and to engage the local community in a co-governance model to explore protective planning for Langtou. Zhang was an integral member of this expert team.

The consensus was clear: preserving the physical structures is important, but safeguarding the cultural traditions that flow through these ancient buildings is equally vital. These historical cultural threads—once a source of pride for the locals—are now at risk of disappearing.

Without cultural continuity, the ancient buildings risk becoming mere relics, devoid of life. The project’s mission to “awaken” the village culturally was immediately established.

Chunyangtai emerged as a concrete manifestation of this cultural vision, striving to create a dialogue with the ancient village while also connecting it to the outside world. It provides new venues for diverse cultural activities, such as a well-stocked library and a beautiful reading room where villagers can engage in musical practices like opera and choir.

Moreover, Chunyangtai boasts spaces capable of hosting high-profile exhibitions and cultural events that can rival those in major cities. Since last year, it has held numerous exhibitions, including “Dao Da Si: The Dignity and Destiny of Chinese Scholars” and “Boundaries and Variations: Unique Developments in Langtou Village,” inviting scholars like Ge Jianxiong, Dai Jinhua, and Liang Yongan for lectures and discussions—activities that were previously unimaginable in a village setting.

In addition to Chunyangtai, other revitalization efforts have flourished, including high-quality lodging at Chunzhuzhujin, the “Everlasting Sun” exhibition at Jimo Tower, and marketplaces, contributing to a vibrant cultural ecosystem that attracts international interest.

For instance, Olivier Saillard, former director of the Paris Fashion Museum and current director of the Arte Lain Foundation, visited Langtou during his investigation of Guangzhou and engaged in dialogues about fashion exhibitions and cultural exchanges with Chunyangtai.

Additionally, the immersive light and shadow art exhibition “Heart Painting China: A Journey Through Calligraphy,” created in collaboration with the French art team, has introduced yet another layer of cultural experience. This exhibition received accolades from Sylvain Fourriere, the French Consul General in Guangzhou, who praised its fusion of art, culture, and philanthropy as an exemplary model of successful Sino-French collaboration.

Cultural elements being dispersed throughout Langtou need to be ignited and fused, and these new initiatives resonate like soft whispers across centuries, pulling the village from its past and integrating history with modernity, preservation with progress, and East with West, as exemplified in the Giacometti exhibition.

This is where the strengths of the foundation, as a corporate charity organization, truly shine—providing not just financial backing but also leveraging its resources to empower traditional villages. With the internet at its core, the foundation believes that rural areas are not isolated; given the right opportunities for revival, they can thrive again.

According to Shen Min, the foundation’s chairman and the project’s leader, while some progress has been made—creating over 200 job opportunities since the project’s inception—challenges remain, particularly ensuring that more locals wish to stay and preserve their home, fostering a sense of pride in their village.

One detail highlights this potential: during the opening ceremony of the Giacometti exhibition at Chunyangtai, the performance by the “Sunshine Children’s Choir” made a lasting impression. Founded by Chunyangtai, this choir recruits children from Langtou Village and the surrounding Tanbu Town, featuring professional music teachers who educate the children in music theory and choral training.

The village’s children yearn to see the larger world, and through platforms like Chunyangtai, glimpses of that world are suddenly within reach. They may sow the seeds of artistry in their hearts, grow proud of their village’s transformation, and spontaneously carry forth the rich Lingnan culture. Both the children and Langtou embody an exciting concept: possibility.