Egret Ming and Qing Hakka Residential Buildings

Egret Ming and Qing Hakka Residential Buildings

The Egret Ming and Qing Hakka Residential Complex. The Egret Township was established in the Song Dynasty (1136) and flourished during the Ming and Qing dynasties. This large-scale market town residential complex covers an area of about 50,000 square meters, shaped like a crescent, nestled against mountains and beside water, boasting beautiful scenery. The layout and landscaping are well-planned and truly spectacular. There are currently 69 relatively well-preserved ancient ancestral halls, temples, and other structures, all built with blue bricks, thick tiles, carved beams and painted rafters, as well as stone carvings and lime carvings in a myriad of forms, vivid and lifelike. It is one of the more intact, concentrated, grand in scale, and rare examples of an ancient Hakka commercial town and residential complex in the province. Representative buildings include the Shichang Hall, Hongyu Hall, the former residence of Zhong Chongyan, the Fushen Temple, and the Wang Tai Fu Ren Ancestral Hall.

Egret Township has a long history and has been home to many notable figures, with numerous historical sites, ancient architecture, and cultural relics. Among the more famous are the Hulujing (Gourd Well) in Jitang Village, the former private school of Wen Tianxiang, and the Guancun Shang-Zhou ancient tomb complex. Egret Township is one of the birthplaces of Hakka culture and the cradle of the Donghe Opera in southern Jiangxi. It still showcases a rich variety of Hakka folk customs such as “Da Jiao” (carrying sedan chairs), “Shao Wa” (burning tiles), “Da Mi Guo” (making rice cakes), and “Shao Lei Cha” (brewing ground tea), accompanied by the graceful flight of the elegant and dancing egrets.