Shamei Village: Deep in Qionghai, a gentle embrace of Republican-era style and Jiangnan charm

Driving past Boao, turn into a small path surrounded by coconut groves, and Shamei Village is hidden beside a tributary of the Wanquan River. One might expect a Hainan village to be all tropical coconut breezes and banana rain, but here you encounter an unexpected gentleness—the white walls and dark tiles of the small buildings carry the square elegance of the Republican era, while the stream flowing in front of the doors ripples with the softness of Jiangnan. These two styles blend together like a cup of Longjing tea sweetened with coconut sugar, crisp yet with a hint of sweetness.

The old buildings at the village entrance are the most striking. Walls built with blue bricks, dark-colored eaves tiles neatly arranged, and door lintels carved with simplified Hui patterns, all showing the neatness of the Republican period. The second-floor window frames are slender vertical grids painted dark red; when sunlight slants through, they cast piano-key-like shadows on the ground. Yet at the base of the walls, things don’t follow the usual rules—bougainvillea climbs wildly, its purplish-red flowers cascading like a waterfall, softening the rigidity of the blue bricks and adding a touch of the clinging charm of Jiangnan courtyard ivy.

The stream running through the village is the finishing touch. The water is shallow and clear enough to see the pebbles on the bottom. The banks are paved with bluestone slabs, resembling the water alleys of Jiangnan. Several stone bridges span the stream; their railings are simple stone strips without elaborate carvings but have been polished smooth by villagers’ footsteps. An elderly woman squats by the stream washing clothes, the wooden mallet striking the bluestone with a “thump thump” sound, splashing water that stains the white walls with faint watermarks—more vivid than any deliberately painted ink wash.

The village paths also hide clever details. The bluestone-paved roads have small pebbles embedded in the center, giving a solid feel underfoot, like walking in the courtyard of an old Republican-era house. On both sides grow banana trees and emerald bamboo; the banana leaves are broad like umbrellas, while the bamboo is slender like Jiangnan reeds. When the wind blows, the leaves rustle softly, making it hard to tell if it’s the wind of the coconut island or the rain of Jiangnan. At corners, you often come across an old well; its cement wellhead is in the Republican style but surrounded by a ring of stone millstones common in Jiangnan, with moist green moss embedded in the grooves.

The most wonderful thing is the villagers’ houses. The new-style small buildings imitate the old architecture, painted white with dark tiles, but red lanterns hang under the eaves. The lantern tassels sway in the wind, reflected in the stream as a string of flowing red. One household has built a bamboo frame in the yard, covered with loofah vines; yellow flowers hang on the white walls, resembling a common Jiangnan farmhouse scene. Yet beside the bamboo frame stands a tall coconut tree, heavy with coconuts hanging in midair, reminding you that this is ultimately Hainan.

At dusk, the stream reflects the white walls and dark tiles, smoke curls gently from chimneys, and the aroma of cooking drifts through the alleys. Children ride scooters along the stone paths, their laughter startling dragonflies by the stream. The dragonflies skim the water’s surface, their wingbeats as soft as Jiangnan’s raindrops. In this moment, you suddenly understand the charm of Shamei Village—it doesn’t deliberately imitate anyone. The square formality of the Republican era hides Hainan’s fiery spirit, the tenderness of Jiangnan wraps the freshness of coconut breezes, just like the villagers who speak Hainanese but have the gentleness of water town people, living their days like a mixed-style poem.

When leaving, the stream still flows quietly, and the bougainvillea on the white walls still blooms passionately. It turns out beauty never needs to be categorized, just like Shamei Village—with the bones of Republican style, the soul of Jiangnan, wrapped in the everyday life of Hainan, living freely and fittingly.

Post by BRADY DEAN | Aug 13, 2025