Fanhe Ancient Village

Fanhe Ancient Village

Fanhe Village, Renshan Town, Huidong County, Huizhou City: Fanhe was historically known as “Fanluo Gang,” a name said to derive from the resemblance of its geography to a “rice basket” (饭箩), symbolizing abundance and prosperity. As early as the first year of the Hongwu reign in the Ming Dynasty, the imperial court established a patrol and inspection office in Fanhe, stationing officials to govern the area. Blessed with a location nestled against mountains and facing the sea, Fanhe grew into an exceptionally prosperous village.

The location of Fanhe Village has long been a naturally fertile area. Its feng shui layout resembling a rice basket, combined with its mountain-backed and sea-facing geography, made it a place where villagers could gather firewood in the hills, fish at sea, farm the land, and harvest salt from the tides—contributing to its wealth and prominence. This prosperity attracted settlers from various surnames who migrated from Putian and Quanzhou in Fujian, while others came from the Xingmei mountainous region of eastern Guangdong. They settled here, built lives, and thrived. The abundance of resources and convenient access to both land and sea spurred commercial growth and bustling harbor activity with hundreds of sailing ships. These factors fostered a pioneering and enterprising spirit among the people of Fanhe. Looking back at the village’s history, we find that government offices such as the Internal and External Patrol and Inspection Office, the Right Battalion Guard of the Xiebiao Division, and the Pingzheng Patrol Inspector were all stationed here at different times, underscoring its strategic importance as a secure stronghold benefiting both people and wealth. After centuries of development and cultural integration, Fanhe Village has evolved into an ancient settlement embodying the cultural characteristics of the Hakka, Cantonese, and Hoklo peoples. To this day, its fine traditions remain unbroken. Fanhe continues to enjoy great renown across Huizhou for its large size and prosperous community, holding a distinguished status.

Fanhe boasts a wealth of historic sites scattered throughout the village, including the Town God’s Temple, Mianqian Lie Sheng Palace, Xiba Fenghuangchi Mazu Temple, Tianhou Palace by the market, and Dalujie Mazu Temple, all adorning the ancient village. The stages of the Town God’s Temple, Shuixianye Temple, and Mianqian Temple are arranged in a triangular pattern across the village. Among them, the most prominent and largest are the four enclosed villages (wei): Luogang Wei, Jitang Wei, Shangde Wei, and Changxing Wei. Except for Shangde Wei, which was largely destroyed over time, leaving only one residential building, the other three wei have been well preserved and stand as the most historically and culturally valuable architectural heritage of Fanhe Village.

The Luogang Wei ancient enclosed village in Fanhe is laid out in a square, measuring 99 meters on each side. It features four gate towers on the east, west, south, and north sides, connected by 108 houses forming the perimeter wall. Inside the enclosure are eight rows of buildings, each aligned from north (slightly west) to south, with six similar and uniformly structured houses per row. Viewed from above, the 48 houses of Luogang Wei are neatly and orderly arranged, separated by lanes about three meters wide, paved with granite slabs or river pebbles. The small barbican at the southern gate, equipped with multiple gun ports, further enhances the impression of Luogang Wei as a miniature fortified city.

Fanhe Ancient Village still preserves three well-maintained ancient stages dating back to the Ming and Qing dynasties: the Town God’s Temple Stage, Shuixianye Stage, and Mianqian Stage. These three stages are distributed in a triangular formation across the eastern, northern, and southern parts of the village. Among them, the Town God’s Temple Stage is the oldest, originally built in the first year of the Taichang era during the Ming Dynasty (1620). The entire structure has three bays, a hip-and-gable roof, corridors along all sides, and features a blend of Chaoshan and Cantonese architectural styles. The stage foundation is built from blue hemp stone, hence it is called the “Stone Stage.” The interior of the foundation is hollow, with wooden boards laid on top.

Fanhe Ancient Village retains a strong sense of antiquity and was recognized as one of the “Top Ten Most Beautiful Ancient Villages in Guangdong” in 2012 and as a “Chinese Ancient Village (Guangdong Traditional Dwellings)” in 2013.

Fanhe Village: Located in the southeastern part of Daya Bay, Fanhe Village sits against mountains and faces the sea, boasting a coastline stretching 2.5 kilometers. The Guang-Shan Highway passes through the village, giving it a strategically advantageous location. The village has a population of 10,965, with approximately 895 migrants. There are 11 villager groups, 3,200 mu of arable land, 22,000 mu of mountainous land, and 2,500 mu of beach area. With a thriving commerce, Fanhe is a new rural settlement integrating agriculture, salt production, fishing, and residence.

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