Junzhen Hakka Walled Villages

Junzhen Hakka Walled Villages

The Junzhen Hakka Walled Villages are a cultural heritage site protected by the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

In Muge Town, Guigang City, Guangxi — the nationally renowned origin and distribution hub of white jade sugarcane and bamboo mats — there lies a very famous small village. However, its fame does not come from white jade sugarcane or bamboo mats, but because nearly twenty Hakka walled villages are gathered across this open field, making it the largest Hakka walled village complex in Guangxi. This is a very unique and rare Hakka cultural landscape. This purely Hakka village field is about forty kilometers from the city center and is called Junzhen.

"Dong" (垌), in the local dialect, refers to farmland, and here specifically denotes a place name. The Hakka people here deeply value education and literacy, having established numerous private schools with a strong academic atmosphere and a distinct Confucian style. As a result, the field where they live is named Junzhen, meaning "the land of talented individuals." In the late Qing Dynasty, the Xunzhou government bestowed upon Junzhen the title of "Cultural Township" in recognition. The Hakka people are hardworking, resilient, literate, and skilled in commerce. They were among the first to embrace nascent ideas of an open economy. At its peak, they led the development of businesses and handicraft industries in towns such as Muge and Muzi, earning the folk nickname "Little Hong Kong."

Junzhen enjoys a uniquely advantageous geographical location, surrounded by mountains on three sides. The hills near the village are covered with lush trees, while the canals and fields are lined with green bamboo. The fields are flat, expansive, and fertile. Two irrigation channels flow year-round from west to east and north around the edges of the field. The rural scenery here is boundless, with abundant produce including fruits, bamboo mats, rice, and pond fish. Harvests are worry-free every year, making it a particularly spiritually uplifting and ideal place for rest and recuperation.

I. The Hakka People of Junzhen and Their Walled Villages

The Migration of the Hakka People of Junzhen The Hakka people are a subgroup of the Han Chinese from the Central Plains. During the chaos at the end of the Jin Dynasty, the Han Chinese migrated en masse. Subsequent dynastic changes and wars triggered further large-scale southward migrations from the Central Plains. These migrants first entered the Poyang Lake area, then traveled up the Gan River into the mountain-shielded regions of Jiangxi, Guangdong, Fujian, and Guangxi. These Central Plains migrants had two designations: an official one — because many Hakka people were relatively more knowledgeable, affluent, and worldly compared to locals, they were respected as "guests" by the indigenous people. Later, when local officials registered their household status, they were classified as "guest households" or "client households," thus becoming known as "Hakka people." The second is a folk term — since they were migrants from elsewhere, locals simply called them "newcomers," a direct, concise, and catchy term. These appellations continued to be used in various regions.

During the Qianlong and Jiaqing eras of the Qing Dynasty, Hakka people migrated from Guangdong to Guangxi. Those who settled in Guixian (now Guigang) mainly dispersed across Muge, Muzi, Qiaoxu, Zhanjiang, Dongjin, and Daxu. The village of Junzhen in Muge Town gathered Hakka people with eighteen different surnames, including Li, Deng, Ye, Huang, Li, Chen, Xu, Zhu, Zhong, Du, Zeng, He, Lu, Fan, Yan, Wei, Liu, and Qiu. According to relevant genealogical records, the Hakka residents of Junzhen have flourished through twenty-six generations.

Terminology and Distinctions of Walled Villages Due to regional differences, the terminology for Hakka architecture varies. In Jiangxi, they are called "tulou" (earthen fortresses); in Fujian, also "tulou"; in northern Guangdong, "four-corner towers," "six-corner towers," or simply "wei" (fortified enclosures); in eastern Guangdong, "weilongwu" (rounded dragon houses) or "four-corner towers," "walled towers"; in the Shenzhen-Hong Kong area, mostly referred to as "wei" or "shiju" (ancestral residences).

"Wei" (围), a general term, literally means "enclosed" buildings. Strictly speaking, there are two types of wei: one where the outer wall also serves as the load-bearing wall of the house, and another where a unified outer wall encloses the structure, with narrow passageways separating the outer wall from the interior walls. Some scholars suggest that the latter might be more appropriately termed "city bases" or "fortified compounds." Incidentally, historically, the central passage in the latter type was called a "yongdao" (corridor), and the side passages were called "yongxiang" (corridor alleys). Generally, wei structures are larger in scale, housing multiple houses and open spaces within a single compound. Precisely speaking, a wei is akin to a large castle. The Hakka architecture in Junzhen is referred to as "cities."

Walled villages are one of China’s six major traditional residential architectural types, alongside Jiangxi-Guangdong-Fujian-Guangxi "tulou"-style, Beijing’s "siheyuan" (courtyard) style, the Jiangnan "four waters returning to the hall" style, the Loess Plateau’s cave dwellings, the southwestern "ganlan" style, Yunnan’s "yizhinyin" (single seal) style, the northeastern "wooden frame courtyard" style, and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau’s "diao fang" (fortified houses). Walled villages are an evolution of tulou. They are not only a precious cultural heritage left by the ancestors of the Hakka people, representing a rich and unique form of residential architecture, but also integrate home, ancestral hall, and fortress. They combine architecture with aesthetics and serve as a "fossil" of the Hakka people’s settled life and activities in their new homeland. Walled villages have become a label for the Hakka people, a mark on their architectural culture, deeply engraved into the soul of every generation of Hakka descendants.

Various Forms of Hakka Walled Villages Hakka walled villages vary in design due to regional differences across Jiangxi, Guangdong, Fujian, and Guangxi, as well as the preferences of their owners. However, regardless of variations, they generally fall into several main forms.

The first is the circular enclosed tower, resembling a flying saucer from outer space or a mushroom sprouting from the ground. The Yongding tulou in Longyan, Fujian, is the most grandiose example. These are towers with a central courtyard. The second is the square enclosed tower, which includes both rectangular and perfectly square types, such as the square tulou of western Fujian and the main watchtowers of northern Guangdong. The third is the castle-style enclosed tower, best represented by the Dafang Shiju in Shenzhen. The fourth is the weilong-style walled house, commonly found in Hakka residences in Guangdong. The fifth is the four-corner tower, typically rectangular, characterized by highly variable external and internal structures. The Hakka architecture in Junzhen falls under the rectangular walled village category. The sixth is the watchtower style, with the Kaiping watchtowers being the most classic, usually four or five stories high. The seventh includes others such as semi-circular enclosed towers, oval enclosed towers, octagonal towers, enclosed village styles, tangheng-style walled houses, and gang-style enclosed towers. Watchtowers are generally built by overseas Hakka Chinese, while other walled houses or towers are typically constructed by domestically migrating Hakka people.

The Two Main Features of Walled Villages Similarly, Hakka walled villages vary in design due to regional differences and owner preferences, but they all share common traits. From the outside, walled villages appear closed off, forming a self-contained small Hakka society — embodying the concept of "enclosure." From the inside, they are open and interconnected, like a maze — reflecting the idea of "connectivity."

II. The Walled Village Cluster of Junzhen

According to records from the 1931 *Guangxi Gazetteer*, the construction of walled villages in Junzhen began during the Xianfeng era of the Qing Dynasty. The earliest were the "Yunlong Wei" built by Li Shiwén and others, and the "Duannxin Wei" built by Deng Fengyuán. Later, seventeen walled villages were successively built in Junzhen by the Li, Deng, and Ye families, among others.

The Li family's notable structures include: the Yunlong Wei (former residence of Li Shiwén), Tongji Cheng (former residence of Li Jiécái), Changcheng (also called Weigan Cheng, including the Changkuaicheng and Xianjicheng), Shuangcheng, and Xianjicheng. The Deng family's include: Longji Wei (former residence of Deng Qiduán), Xincheng (former residence of Deng Jiànxióng), Tongxin Wei (former residence of Deng Fengyuán), Changcheng, Litoucheng, Zijincheng, Maolongcheng, and Laowucheng. The Ye family's include: Gupo Cheng. Historically, the Li family had a stronger literary tradition, building the earliest and most distinctive walled villages in great numbers. The Deng family, historically wealthier, constructed more elaborate walled villages in larger quantities. It is said that a certain Deng from Junzhen, who later settled in Hong Kong, became extremely wealthy, with legendary tales still widely circulated today. The Ye family had the largest population and decent walled villages, though fewer in number.

Guixian had relatively few walled villages, generally distributed across Muge, Muzi, and Zhongli townships. Among these, Junzhen in Muge had the highest concentration. Compared to other regions’ Hakka walled villages, those in Junzhen were more distinctive — each square tower essentially formed a self-contained "city," covering approximately four to thirty acres. Currently, Junzhen stands out with its large number of structures, grand scale, profound cultural heritage, and excellent preservation. During the Third National Cultural Relics Census, it showed strong potential for being listed as a provincial-level cultural heritage site.

The walled villages of Junzhen once enjoyed great prestige. Following their recognition as a "Cultural Township" in the late Qing Dynasty, the 1934 *Guangxi Gazetteer* recorded that in that year alone, 25 individuals from Junzhen were admitted to colleges or went abroad for studies, accounting for over 10% of the county’s total of 236. The gazetteer also documented the achievements of Junzhen’s water conservancy projects. Junzhen produced notable figures such as Li Jiécái, who studied in the U.S., was classmates with the Flying Tigers commander Claire Chennault, earned a master’s degree, and returned to make significant contributions; Li Sòngchū, a professor at Hunan University; Li Dakāng, who studied in Japan in his youth with hopes of saving the nation through knowledge; and seven county magistrates including Li Gēngyáng. There was also Li Péiyīng, a nationally outstanding teacher who met with national leader Liu Shaoqi in Beijing during the 1960s; Deng Qǐjīn, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; and Deng Jiànxùn, a Hong Kong-based businessman. Many of their former residences remain well-preserved.

Today, for the people of Junzhen, the architecture and legends of the Hakka walled village cluster are something shown and told to outsiders. Generation after generation, having grown up in this environment, they’ve grown accustomed to it. The tranquil and simple lifestyle here has calmed their hearts, leaving them unmoved. Young people have left for modern urban life, leaving behind mostly a few dedicated elders tending to these ancient grey-brick fortresses as aged as themselves. When night falls and they stroll through the empty courtyards, nostalgia often fills their hearts. Whenever visitors arrive, they eagerly recount the past glory, bustle, and vibrancy of these villages. They are honest and simple folks, lacking the means to systematically promote this magnificent and unique Hakka walled village cluster. Coupled with its previous distance from the urban center and limited information dissemination, this treasure remained unknown to the outside world. Not to mention before, but even as late as early 2007, the road from Guigang to Muge was rough and difficult for outsiders to access. Limited resources and a focus on economic development meant that there was little attention given to promoting, protecting, or excavating this Hakka heritage site, preventing the Junzhen walled village cluster from gaining wider recognition. During the Cultural Revolution, the Hakka people of the region faced significant challenges. This classic, representative, and massive Hakka architectural complex was oddly omitted from the 1993 publication [omitted reference]. Could that have been influenced as well? But gold always shines — the Junzhen walled village cluster, with its uniquely legendary charm, continues to attract explorers through word of mouth. Every day, many curious visitors come, traversing the various walled villages, hoping to witness the splendor of the Hakka walled village cluster, to see the crystallization of over two hundred years of Hakka culture, to feel the deep-rooted folklore and historical weight quietly emanating from it, and to experience the simple nature and indomitable vitality of the Hakka people. They can’t help but marvel and praise, and upon returning, they invariably write extensively and speak glowingly of the mysterious charm of these unique walled villages.

Level: Provincial

Era: Xianfeng era of the Qing Dynasty (1851–1861)

Address: Junzhen, Yunzhong Village, Muge Town, Gangnan District

Protected Area: For each individual walled village (city), the protection zone extends 5 meters outward from the original foundation or outer walls on the left, right, and rear, and to the edge of Mingyue Pool in the front.

Construction Control Zone: Extends 15 meters outward from the boundary of the protected area.

Official Document Number: *Notice of the Guigang Municipal People’s Government on the Announcement of the Second Batch of Cultural Heritage Protection Units in Guigang City*, Guizheng Fa [2011] No. 28

Yunzhong Village: Yunzhong Village…… Yunzhong Village detailed information++