Xiasha Village Plaza (Update)

This article was originally published on October 31, 2011, in the Shenzhen Daily.
The information was accurate at that time, and may be outdated now. Use with caution.

A new [in 2011] frieze depicting Huang family history

I recently had a chance to visit the almost-finished Xiasha Village Plaza in Futian, and it is impressive.

Because the area is the site of an annual traditional "big dish dinner," it has been opened out to make one of the largest unobstructed village squares in the city (and thus a great place to learn to ride a bike!)

The folk figures along the west side have been refurbished--minus, unfortunately, the old lamp posts in the shapes of characters from Chinese history and literature. But some new art has been added, notably a frieze depicting Huang family history (on the east side of the ancestral hall compound) and new or restored bas-reliefs on the roofline of the hall itself.

New [in 2011] statue of Huang family Imperial Scholar from the Song Dynasty

Also, near the main gate, large statues of two Huang family heroes have been added: Imperial Scholar Huang Shi of the Song Dynasty, and Huang Yaoting (1872-1916), vice-commander in chief of the revolutionary army under Sun Yat-Sen (Sun Zhongshan).

The four-faced Thai Buddha with a Buddha-decorated wall behind

The jungle-like area in the southeast is gone, but a new wall decorated with buddhas has been built behind the four-faced Thai Buddha. The swimming pool is now behind it, the pool's former location next to the ancestral hall having been paved over.

An Earth God altar under the venerable tree at Xiasha Village

There is also no more regular vehicular traffic along the south side, in front of the statue of the pioneers and the ancient tree, which again adds to the spaciousness of the place.

The one incomplete element is the small temple in the northwest; the new one under construction appears to be much larger than the old one. [Shamefully, I haven't been back in the 2-1/2 years since this was written; the temple must be finished by now!]

GPS Info:

• 22.52585, 114.02577

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