Dongli Fortified Village

Dongli Fortified Village

Dongli Fortified Village is a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Guangdong Province.

Introduction Dongli Fortified Village is located in Dongxian Village, Shalong Town, Chaoyang District. It is the hometown of Zheng Wulou, a prominent overseas Chinese leader from Chaoshan in Thailand. With its symmetrical, square, and imposing layout, as well as the neatly arranged and densely clustered “mansion-style” residences within, the village exudes an extraordinary grandeur, making it a typical example of a square-shaped Chaoshan fortified settlement. Dongli Fortified Village was built in the 28th year of the Qianlong reign (1763) by Zheng Yuzong, a renowned maritime merchant of that time. Covering an area of 12,544 square meters, it is a massive square-shaped settlement. The village faces northwest and is situated to the southeast, surrounded by walls on all four sides, each 112 meters long and 0.7 meters thick. Watchtowers are built at each of the four corners, and there are three gates—north, east, and west. Inside the village, the mansions are neatly arranged in a “palace-style” formation of three streets and six lanes, with 22 uniformly distributed “Four-Point Gold” buildings, totaling 466 rooms. In addition, there are 36 two-room, one-living-room guard houses surrounding the village. Dongli Fortified Village has long been known for producing many scholars and warriors.

Shantou, Guangdong

Further Reading:

· Eighth Batch of Guangdong Provincial Cultural Heritage Sites