Hakka Houses in Longgang

This article was originally published on January 28, 2011, in the Shenzhen Daily.
The information was accurate at that time, and may be outdated now. Use with caution.

Main gate of Dawan Dwelling

I've written before of the Crane Lake Dwelling Hakka House Museum in Longgang Town, and of Dapeng Fortress.

But did you realize that, aside from these two, Longgang boasts about 100 other walled villages?

These fortified towns were built by Hakka people, mainly in the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty near the end of the Hakka migrations. Unlike the more famous round "tulou" of Fujian, the villages in Longgang are all built to square plans, in the Meixian (Mei County) style, since many of Shenzhen's Hakka migrated from the Meizhou area.

Buildings inside the dwelling

Typically, the villages have a moon pool out front and a hill at the rear, to ensure good feng shui. There is often a threshing floor out front, and the walls feature watchtowers at the four corners. Most also have wall frescoes and carved, painted beams, showing a rich variety of flowers, birds, and other wildlife.

Frescoes in the ancestral hall

Many of the villages are partially abandoned, or occupied by migrant workers. The original owners have built themselves more modern accommodations outside the gates. Still, the ancestral shrines in the villages' centers are often maintained, and the dwellings stand strong.

A Hakka grandma and baby living outside Dawan Dwelling

Dawan Dwelling is the best-known besides the museum in Longgang. Built in 1791, it is southwest of Pingshan Bus Terminal in Pingshan. Take bus 365 from Xiangmihu Metro Station on Line 1.

Several well-known dwellings can be found in Kengzi Town, including Longtian (built 1837), Xinqiao (built about 1753), Panlong (over 200 years old), and Changlong (built 1794). Take bus 366 to Kengzi Shichang from Bao'an Nan Lu just north of the Diwang Building (Dajuyuan Metro Station on Line 1) and ask around.

You can learn more about Longgang's Hakka dwellings in my articles on Maosheng Residence, Henggang and Crane Lake Dwelling Hakka House Museum

There's more about the Dawan Dwelling in another article in the Shenzhen Daily, "Dawan Ancestral Residence, SZ's biggest Hakka habitation."

GPS Info:

• Dawan Dwelling = 22.68113, 114.34263

(Kengzi Town)

• Longtian = 22.74770, 114.37139
• Xinqiao = 22.74788, 114.37783
• Panlong = 22.72833, 114.36450
• Changlong = 22.744936, 114.393419

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Maps:

When searching for these houses, try the Chinese version of Google Maps. The Map and Satellite Views are properly synched, making locations easier to find. (Read more about the problem on my GPS page.)

I have not attempted to provide maps for the sites in Kengzi Town. Here's one for Dawan Dwelling, followed by links for the others:

View Larger Map

Links to maps for:

• Longtian Dwelling
• Xinqiao Dwelling
• Panlong Dwelling
• Changlong Dwelling