Ancient Fortress within the Village

The Ancient Fortress within the Village

The Ancient Fortress within the Village is a cultural heritage site protected at the Guangdong Provincial level.

The Ancient Fortress within the Village is located in Baonei Village, Huahu Town, Huidong County, Guangdong Province. It was built in the second year of the Shunzhi reign during the Qing Dynasty (1645) to defend against pirate invasions. The fortress is roughly circular, stretching 130 meters from east to west and 128 meters from north to south, covering a total area of 13,200 square meters.

The fortress has two gates, one on the east and one on the north. The gateways are built from stone and brick in an arched shape. The middle of the outer stone gate frame features a groove, while the inner gate frame is made of stone and includes a watchtower. The lower part of the surrounding fortress wall, about one meter high, is built from stone blocks, while the upper section is constructed from blue bricks. There are six watchtowers around the fortress, each adjacent to stone steps. The central area of the fortress is slightly elevated, with a roughly circular stone in the middle, 0.3 meters in diameter, commonly referred to as the "navel stone." Local villagers call the fortress the "Ding Fortress" (Tripod Fortress). Most residents of Baonei Village share surnames and live in single-story houses made of lime plastered shells, tiles, and wood. The fortress is one of the more intact ancient settlements in eastern Guangdong, preserving its original traditional architectural style.

In April 2013, it was designated as a county-level cultural heritage site by the Huidong County People's Government.

On December 10, 2015, the Ancient Fortress within the Village (including the fortress walls, the East Gate, the North Gate, ancient lanes inside the fortress, ancient wells, and the Temple of Guan Yu) was approved and announced by the People's Government of Guangdong Province as part of the eighth batch of Guangdong Provincial Cultural Heritage Sites.

Baonei Village: Located at the center of Huahu Town, Baonei Village is the namesake of the town. The name “Huahu” (literally “Flower Lake”) originated from the former Longtan Lake in front of the village, commonly called “Xiahu” (Lower Lake), and elegantly referred to as “Huahu” (Flower Lake), hence the town adopting the village’s name. It once served as the site of the former township government, commune, and later the town government, functioning as the economic and market hub of the town. Kuihe Road and Sishen Road intersect in the village. The village administers four villager groups: Zhai Nei, Gongzi Qian, Xizai Pan, and Xibu. It is primarily an agricultural village with some commercial activity, ranking as the third most populous village in Huahu Town. Currently, there are 1,021 households, a total population of 6,268, over 2,500 laborers, and more than 1,000 people working away from home... More details about Baonei Village ++

Further Reading:

· Eighth Batch of Guangdong Provincial Cultural Heritage Sites