Lingnan Water Country

Lingnan Water Country

Lingnan Water Country is located in Minzhong Town, Zhongshan City, adjacent to the Pearl River Estuary and neighboring Guangzhou, Zhuhai, Hong Kong, Macao, Shenzhen, and other areas. Major roads such as the Beijing-Zhuhai Expressway and the Guangzhou-Zhuhai Highway pass nearby, making transportation extremely convenient.

Lingnan Water Country is an ecological tourism area rich in Lingnan pastoral and water town features, developed by leveraging Zhongshan’s resource advantages during the municipal government’s “Great Tourism” strategy and efforts to establish a “China Top Tourist City.” It officially opened to the public in June 2000. It has since evolved into a comprehensive tourist destination characterized by typical water town features, integrating travel, dining, and entertainment. Over the past three years since its opening, it has received over 1 million domestic and international visitors, gaining high recognition in the Hong Kong, Macao, and Pearl River Delta regions, along with notable social and economic benefits. It has been awarded titles such as “Advanced Unit in Creating China’s Top Tourist City,” “Second Prize for Excellent Scenic Spot in Zhongshan City,” and “Most Distinctive Minzhong Charm Award.”

Everything here is pure and natural — the ecosystem is pristine, waterways crisscross, rivers run in all directions, folk customs are simple, and small villages are naturally scattered along the streams. The water town is rich in local flavor; the banks are covered with lush vegetation and picturesque scenery, where natural beauty and rural life blend harmoniously. It is one of the most intact and representative natural and cultural ecological scenic areas in the Lingnan region that preserves water town characteristics. The currently developed area open for tourism spans 35 square kilometers. There are more than 30 attractions, such as “Red Bridge and Emerald Water,” “Grassland Tidal Sounds,” and “Water Town Farmhouse,” truly offering a return to simplicity. Each place shapes its people — the water town is abundant in river produce. The locals, who live by the water, make their living through fishing and farming, working from sunrise to sunset. Households have private docks and boats, living a leisurely and contented life. There are no small bridges over flowing streams like in the Jiangnan region, but there are grassland tidal sounds, as well as sluice gates of various sizes that regulate the water level and facilitate transportation, ensuring the safe passage of boats navigating the canals. Boats are the main means of water transport for the locals and also serve as a vital link for trade with the outside world — some are used for fishing and shrimp netting, others for delivering bananas to traders, and still others for goods trading. The locals, full of hope and dreams for a bright tomorrow, blend into nature, painting a picture of tranquility and simplicity in the Lingnan water country.

In places like Jiangsu’s Suzhou and Hangzhou, the term “water town” is enticing. But actually, right here in our Guangdong, in Zhongshan’s Minzhong, there is a place that can rival the water towns of Suzhou and Hangzhou — its name was given by the late master of the Lingnan School of Painting, Mr. Guan Shanyue: “Lingnan Water Country.”

A transformation from poverty to prosperity. Many fruit trees are planted around homes, with fresh fruits ripening in every season. Each household has its own dock and owns several small boats. Most Tanka people who have moved ashore now use vehicles or walk instead of boats, while professional transport households have upgraded to larger boats for shipping — these small boats are seldom used and are moored by the shore as decorations or mementos.

While boating, you’ll see children swimming naked in the river, adults digging for clams, the crowing of roosters, barking of dogs, melon fields and plum trees — the rural charm is overwhelming, evoking a sense of familiarity that touches the heart.

Lingnan Water Country boasts rich folk customs and strong local Lingnan characteristics. It has served as a filming location for Hong Kong’s TVB Jade Channel, which has shot numerous productions here. China Central Television also filmed parts of “Sun Yat-sen” here, and other TV stations have visited for research, planning to use the location for future shoots.