Zilai Tower

Zilai Tower

Zilai Tower is a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Guangdong Province.

Zilai Tower is located in Wuxi Village, Zhangxi Town. It was first built in the late Ming Dynasty and expanded in the early Qing Dynasty. During the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty, ancestors of the Zhong family relocated here from Dingyang, Fujian, and established their settlement. By the end of the Ming Dynasty, to ensure the safety and well-being of the clan and to protect them from the turmoil of war and banditry, the “Zilai Tower” was constructed. Later, as the clan continued to expand, the outer ring was added in the early Qing Dynasty and named “Gongci,” forming a two-ring earthen building.

Zilai Tower is a double-ring earthen building. It has two stories, stands 6.8 meters tall, and features an east-facing main gate. The tower covers an area of 2,348 square meters with a diameter of 57.4 meters. There are a total of 54 rooms (18 in the inner ring and 36 in the outer ring; the first floor serves as living quarters, while the second is used for storing food and supplies), two main gates for the two rings, and a central plaza inside the tower. At the center of the plaza is an 8-foot (approx. 2-meter) diameter Bagua diagram. There are three wells (one in the inner ring and two in the outer ring). Each ring has one ancestral hall for enshrining the spirits of ancestors. Gun ports are located on the back walls above each building, and there are cannon ports on both sides of the outer ring gates to help defend against outside attacks.

The exterior walls of the tower are built from a mixture of lime, sand, and soil, while the interior walls are made of field clay coated with shell lime. The layout is circular, with both the inner and outer rings composed of polygonal structures forming a circle, featuring a tiered design with the inner ring higher than the outer. The corners between the rear walls of the buildings are connected with iron hooks, making the structure solid and robust. The inner ring ancestral hall features a double-layered roof with a hidden space that can shelter over 40 people, offering protection during emergencies.

The overall layout of the tower follows the style of Hakka earthen buildings, embodying the “Eight Defenses” characteristics typical of Hakka architecture while also showcasing its own unique building style. It holds significant historical, artistic, and research value.

On November 8, 2008, the General Office of the People’s Government of Guangdong Province issued the “Notice on Announcing the Fifth Batch of Guangdong Provincial Cultural Heritage Units,” in which Zilai Tower was included as a protected provincial heritage site.

Wuxi Village: Wuxi Village…… More details about Wuxi Village++

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Guangdong Provincial Cultural Heritage Units