Changqi Ancient Village

Changqi Ancient Village

Changqi Ancient Village is located in Lubao Town in the central-northern part of Sanshui District, Foshan City, covering an area of 4.5 square kilometers. Built during the Ming Dynasty, the ancient village nestles against Wenbi Mountain and borders Jiulong River. The oldest surviving structures date back to the early Qing Dynasty, making it the largest and best-preserved ancient village recently discovered in Lubao Town. In 2008, Changqi Village was successfully included in the first batch of Guangdong Province’s Ancient Villages. Today, the village has a population of about 1,200 and is a traditional agricultural community known for its simple folkways and beautiful scenery. It is also recognized as an ecological model village in Guangdong Province. In 2007, the Lubao Town government carried out extensive village improvement efforts, including the expansion of the cultural activity center and greening projects, showcasing the new rural face of a Lingnan water town.

Changqi Ancient Village embodies the essence of Lingnan’s ancient feng shui culture and clan culture. The village is divided among four major surnames—Lu, Huang, He, and Zhong—each having built their own ancestral halls. The order in which these were constructed is Zhong, Huang, He, and Lu. Most of the residences feature the classic quadrangle layout with one main hall, four rooms, one toilet, and one courtyard. The ancient houses are richly decorated with carved beams and painted rafters, upturned eaves, as well as brick carvings, stone carvings, wood carvings, and murals. The landscapes, figures, flowers, and birds depicted are all remarkably lifelike.

The interior layout of the ancient houses typically consists of one main hall and four rooms, resembling the style of northern-style quadrangles. Usually, the older generations live in the front rooms, while the younger ones reside in the rear rooms, symbolizing the continuation of the family line. In addition to the main hall and rooms, there is also one toilet and one courtyard, along with a hidden passageway. These secret passages usually lead to neighboring houses and normally function as drainage channels. During ordinary times, they are covered with bricks, but in case of sudden intrusion by bandits, residents can push away the bricks and escape through the passage to a neighbor's home. Moreover, these passages also connect to the lanes between the ancient houses. Each lane is secured with two or three gates and patrolled by night watchmen, truly making it a stronghold where “one man can hold off ten thousand.” Once the gates are closed, robbers cannot enter, and those inside can trap the intruders in the maze-like alleys like “catching a turtle in a jar.” As a result, the village has never suffered from robbery.

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