Gutong Ancient Village

Gutong Ancient Village

Located in Liaoyuan Subdistrict, Puning City, Gutong Village consists of five natural villages: Wuduiyang, Jilongshan, Yuntou, Hangxi, and Juntian. With a history of over 700 years since the Southern Song Dynasty when anti-Yuan hero Zhuang Gongcong from Fujian settled here and established the village, it is the largest Zhuang surname settlement in China, rich in cultural heritage. The village is crisscrossed by streams, with lakes and mountains complementing each other, the fragrance of orchids on Tieling Mountain wafts through the air, green bamboo shades Hangxi Stream, boats shuttle across Baike Lake, and ancient pavilions and towers can be seen everywhere. According to statistics, Gutong Village preserves 32 ancestral halls, 3 ancient architectural complexes, 1 ancient lane, 1 ancient ticket office, 1 former residence, 7 temples, 3 stone inscriptions, 3 ancient tombs, 1 ancient bridge, and 1 historical site.

It is said that during the Song Dynasty, Gutong was called Yuhutangkou. As the village area was a low-lying land where water receded (pronounced "ke" in the Chaoshan dialect) to reveal the ridges, it was also commonly known as "Hegelong" (dry ridges), before being renamed to its current name. The streams in the village connect with the Lianjiang River and converge at Shuangxizui, then flow eastward through the Jilongshan sluice gate to the sea. The various architectural clusters of Gutong resemble boats of different sizes floating on the water, giving rise to the saying "Gutong is a land of boats." In terms of architectural layout, the principle of balance is generally followed, with symmetrical arrangements, orderly rows, and a neat, generous appearance. Where the water meanders, residential clusters centered around ancestral halls and communal halls are found, forming the "Eighteen Gateways of Gutong." The most distinctive feature is the pre-Yuan Dynasty architectural complex in the front hall, a single-entrance enclosed cluster built during the founding of the village, historically known as the "Mother of the Fort." In the late Yuan and early Ming Dynasties, the original east-facing fortress gate was changed to a centrally located south-facing gate. Legend has it that this layout was personally designed by "Shimu Xian" (He Yueyun) to draw spiritual energy from the distant Nanshan Mountain. The complex is 72 meters long and 53 meters wide. To the east, it connects with Puxiatou and Gan Yuan, and to the west with Yaopuxiang, Shuimenzi, and Matou, resembling a giant crab with two large claws reaching toward the stream ahead.

Located at the inner creek outlet in the eastern part of the fortress, Gutong Nianggong (Goddess Temple) was built when the village was established and has a history of over 730 years. Inside, there is a stone gate plaque inscribed with "Temple of the Merciful Goddess" by Zhuang Qifeng, a successful candidate in the imperial examination of 1835 (the 15th year of the Daoguang reign), and another plaque reading "Lend a Helping Hand." The overall structure is a hard-roofed tile-and-timber building with gilded wood carvings, holding significant historical and artistic value. To the west of the temple is the Gongyidizhi (Residence of a Successful Candidate), built by Zhuang Qifeng during the Guangxu reign. It is a square-shaped architectural complex consisting of the main building, east wing, west wing, rear wing, rear pavilion, east gate tower, and four eastern structures. The main building faces south and features a three-bay, three-courtyard, two-skywell layout. The central gate is topped with a stone plaque inscribed "General’s Residence" (Zhuang Qifeng was conferred the title of Martial General by the Qing court), which he wrote himself. In front of the yangchang (courtyard) is a kylin screen wall, with four flagpole stands bearing honorary plaques. The east gate tower is inscribed with "Gongyidizhi," and the door bears a couplet: "A family of nobility, a home of distinction." The entire complex covers approximately 2,800 square meters, with 100 rooms, laid out in a "hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix" pattern, and built in a hard-roofed tile-and-timber style.

Gutong is a well-known hometown of overseas Chinese. The Xieyu Ticket Office in the village witnessed the remittance history of Gutong people. This three-story Western-style building with a concrete frame still faintly displays the words "Long-lasting Source" above its entrance. The ticket office was founded during the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty by Zhuang Shuliang, the grandfather of patriotic overseas Chinese leader Zhuang Shiping, along with his son. It flourished from the early Republican period until 1928, but ceased operations after being destroyed in wartime fires. It has since been restored and preserved.

The people of Gutong have always valued literature and education. To this day, the village retains private schools such as Yanglan Shuwu, built during the Tongzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty, and Woyun Caolu, built in the early Republican period. For centuries, the village has produced many talents. From the 15th year of the Daoguang reign to the Guangxu reign, Zhuang Qifeng's "four successful candidates in one family, with six sons achieving scholarly honors" became a historical marvel. In the field of traditional Chinese medicine, Zhuang Yuanju (1736–1810), the pioneer of Gutong’s TCM, and his son Zhuang Tianru (1771–1855) were renowned physicians. Notably, in 1874 (the 13th year of the Tongzhi reign), Zhuang QianGuang established Zhonghetang to train apprentices, cultivating dozens of TCM practitioners for the Chaoshan region and even Southeast Asia. Additionally, patriotic overseas Chinese leader Zhuang Shiping, Thailand’s first Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Zhuang Junqi, revolutionary pioneers Zhuang Mingrui and Zhuang Qifang, renowned calligrapher and painter Zhuang Dianyuan, China’s ceramic art master Zhuang Jia, painter Zhuang Xiaojian, as well as Thai-based painter Zhuang Liwen and Hong Kong-based painter Zhuang Songsiao, are all from Gutong.

Gutong Village: Located on the east side of Provincial Road 1930 in the Liaoyuan section, the village is divided into five natural settlements, with a total of 302 Party members. It has one general Party branch and five subordinate Party branches, with a total of 11 village cadres. The village currently has a population of 19,000, with nearly 100,000 overseas Chinese, making it a key overseas Chinese hometown in Puning City. The main sources of income for villagers are agriculture and agricultural by-products, while the village collective economy relies mainly on collecting management fees from enterprises, generating an annual income of over 400,000 yuan. By 2007, the village had more than 60 industrial enterprises, achieving an industrial output value of nearly 200 million yuan, and was recognized by Guangdong Province as a "… Detailed Information on Gutong Village++"