DALING Village in Panyu, Guangdong, is the first National Historical Cultural Village in Guangdong Province. The 873-year-old village is known as the home of many scholars and high government officials throughout time. A short trip to the village on the weekend can be an exploration of traditional Guangdong lifestyle and culture.

    Ancient architecture

    Originally built over 800 years ago, Daling Village is a typical Guangdong-style ancient village with well-preserved architecture covering more than 9,000 square meters.

    The Yudai River runs across the village and cuts the village into three parts, Longjiao Village, Shangcun Village, and Xiacun Village.

    There are many streets in the village. Among these, a street called Wuban Baishi Street is unique. The 400-meter street was built in 1897 during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). On one side of the street, there are ancient buildings built with strong Cantonese characteristics dating back to the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing dynasties; on the other side, there are modern buildings with modern facilities, which are in sharp contrast, yet create a very interesting scene.

    There are also many temples and towers in the village. Some must-see spots include Longjin Bridge, Yongsi Mansion, Zhenshou Gate and Shaoqing Water Reservoir.

    Chen’s Temple is the oldest family temple in the village. Built in the Song Dynasty (960-1279), the temple was originally built to commemorate an ancestor of the Chen family from the village. Later it was used to honor outstanding villagers who passed the provincial and national imperial examinations.

    The ancient oyster-shell houses are also quite outstanding. Ancient villagers used oyster shells as the main material to build houses. Houses built with oyster shells are very strong and are protected from fire and typhoons. The shells also keep the houses warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

    Glorious history

    Although Daling Village is not a large village with a big population when compared with other rural villages in Guangdong Province, 35 villagers passed the national imperial examinations and became officials over the last 800 years, which is rare in Guangdong. More than 100 villagers were high government officials in ancient times.

    “Education has been one of the most important traditions in the village for more than 800 years. All the people in the village like reading books,” said Chen Laican, vice party chief of the village.

    Relaxing lifestyle

    Although many modern additions have been made to the ancient village over the past 30 years, Daling Village still has a relaxing and traditional lifestyle.

    In the central area of the village, there are several banyan trees which are more than 100 years old. In the afternoon, many elderly villagers like to sit under the tree and enjoy the warm sun with tea and cigarettes.

    One of the most popular leisure activities among the villagers is mahjong. In the evening, villagers gather around the banyan trees to play mahjong and chess. “Sometimes, there are more than 10 tables around the trees. It is a great way to relax and visit with old neighbors and relatives,” Chen said.

    Transport: Take a coach to Panyu from Shenzhen coach stations and get to the village by taxi.(Wang Yuanyuan)