Shenzhen’s ninth Hakka Culture Festival will open tomorrow afternoon at Hehu New Residence in Longgang District, featuring a mix of Hakka traditional clothes exhibition and handicrafts demonstrations.

    Hakka people have links to the areas of Guangdong, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Sichuan, Hunan and Fujian. Hakka culture is an important part of southern Chinese culture.

    Hehu New Residence, also known as the Crane Lake Fortified Hakka Village, is the largest grouping of Hakka residential architecture in the country. Located in Luoruihe Village in downtown Longgang Subdistrict, the village covers an area of 27,890 square meters. It has 179 homes and each home has one to three rooms. The village is surrounded by walls and the front gate is magnificent.

    It is said that the area used to have great water resources and large grasslands, which are ideal for cranes to rest and live, so it was called “Crane Lake” by the locals. The village was built by the Luo family, originally from Fujian Province, around 1817. The family was well-known for their business operations and has made fortunes all over the world.

    Meanwhile, a photo exhibition of traditional Hakka architectures, interior designs and furniture will be held at the Shenzhen Museum’s outlet in Civic Center.

    At the closing of the festival, a free concert featuring Hakka songs and dances will be held Dec. 26 at the Shenzhen Museum’s Civic Center outlet. Hakka songs are some of the better-known elements of Hakka culture. Since Hakka people mostly lived in hilly areas, the songs were used as a better means of communication than spoken words, as the melody of Hakka hill songs tend to have a higher pitch so the sound can travel farther.

    Opening

    Time: 3 p.m., Dec. 16

    Venue: Hehu New Residence, 1 Luoruihe Street North, Nanlian Community, Longgangn Subdistrict, Longgang District (龙岗区龙岗街道南联社区罗瑞合北街1号鹤湖新居)

    Metro: Longgang Line, Nanlian Station (南联站), Exit B

    Photo exhibition

    Dates: Dec. 17-26

    Venue: Shenzhen Museum, Block A, Civic Center, Futian District (福田区市民中心A区深圳博物馆新馆)

    Metro: Shekou or Longhua Line, Civic Center Station (市民中心站), Exit B(Cao Zhen)