Memorial Altar for the Southern Migration of the Hakka People

Memorial Altar for the Southern Migration of the Hakka People

The Memorial Altar for the Southern Migration of the Hakka People is located within Guijiaowei Park. The altar consists of two parts: a base and a bronze tripod. The base draws inspiration from the architectural style of Beijing’s Temple of Earth, symbolizing that the Hakka people’s roots lie in the Central Plains. It also reflects the agrarian nature of the Hakka community. The base is divided into three levels, representing the three stages in the formation of the Hakka ethnic group: it originated in southern Jiangxi, developed in western Fujian, and matured in eastern Guangdong. The steps of the base are divided into five tiers, symbolizing the five major migrations in the historical journey of the Hakka people. Placed atop the base is a five-meter-high three-legged bronze tripod, symbolizing that after undergoing five great migrations and completing three developmental stages, the Hakka people established themselves as a mature cultural group on the land shared by the neighboring provinces of Fujian, Guangdong, and Jiangxi. The placement of the bronze tripod on the altar has three meanings: first, it signifies the establishment of a cultural center; second, the tripod’s three legs represent the Hakka people’s strongholds rooted in the three provinces of Fujian, Guangdong, and Jiangxi; third, as a significant ritual vessel in ancient times, the tripod was used for placing incense and candles, and its body can also be inscribed with commemorative texts. The memorial altar is divided into three sides at 120-degree angles, each representing southern Jiangxi, western Fujian, and eastern Guangdong respectively, signifying that these three regions have made equally important contributions to Hakka culture throughout history, remain interdependent in contemporary Hakka society, and should jointly develop and prosper in the future. The three corresponding sets of steps on the altar symbolize the three life-giving rivers of the Hakka settlements — the Gan River, the Ting River, and the Mei River. The inscription on the memorial tripod was composed by Mr. Tan Yunheng, director of the Hakka Research Institute at South China University of Technology. The text is written in the style of an inscription, consisting of two main parts: the chronicle and the eulogy. The inscription explains the reasons, time, location, and significance of casting the tripod, records the history of Hakka development, and praises the outstanding traditional culture of the Hakka people. It is a masterpiece with profound meaning and elegant language. Ganxian Hakka Cultural City: The Hakka Cultural City is situated southeast of Ganxian County, bordered by the winding Gong River to the south, facing Yangxian Ridge where Yang JiuPin, the progenitor of feng shui, once lived in seclusion, and overlooking the famous peak of southern Jiangxi — Fengshan Mountain. With mountains, water, and the city complementing each other, it is a feng shui treasure blessed by the essence of nature.