Dawei Ancient Village

Dawei Ancient Village

Lingxi Dawei Village, also known as Hanxiang Village, is located upstream of the Lingxi River. It was settled in the early Qing Dynasty by migrants from other provinces. The village currently has about 186 households and a population of around 1,000, with the vast majority surnamed Huang. According to the village genealogy: in the past, due to rampant banditry, the villagers built a surrounding wall to ensure peace and prosperity for future generations. Construction began in November of the 26th year of the Qianlong reign (1765 AD) and took over two years to complete, resulting in a structure that has stood for more than 200 years. Most of the wall is built from granite blocks, making it sturdy and solid. The wall is 1,625 meters in circumference, 7 meters high, and 1 meter thick, with gun ports and lookout holes every 3 meters, and a walkway inside. The enclosure has four gates—east, south, and north (with two on the east)—all constructed from 21 large bluestone slabs, resembling city gates. The eastern gate features two pairs of horse-tying stones (plum-shaped stones). Inside the village, there are five ancestral halls of varying sizes, mostly retaining Qing Dynasty architectural styles, and most streets are paved with flagstones or pebbles.

Dawei Village has a history of over 300 years, and its Ming and Qing architecture showcases the distinctive charm of Hakka culture with a grand and imposing presence. The Shizhuang Ancient Watchtower is three stories high, square-shaped, and entirely built from blue bricks and granite slabs.

Originally named Hanheng Village—including Hanheng Huang Residence, Qichuan Balou (Wells), Hanxiang Enclosure, and Dawei—it is a Guangdong Provincial Ancient Village, hidden in the lush basin embraced by Huangshaxi and Daxi (upstream of the Lingxi River) to the east and west. Surrounded by rolling hills such as Zhuolangjiao Mountain (north), Xianglingli, Gaogongbei (south), Dahan Mountain (west), and Yaodianling (east), the village lies in the heart of a verdant valley that evokes the poetic imagery: “Sun and moon hang from vines by the cliffs; herbs at the edge record the seasons; the breeze and moon are priceless, and mountains and waters all hold sentiment.” The pastoral scenery is pristine, and it is a typical example of a Hakka walled village.

According to the *Genealogy of the Huang Clan*, the founding ancestor Huang Mengxian, who believed in the philosophy that “the life of one commoner is as weighty as the world,” migrated from Fujian to the area during the Song Dynasty. The lineage now extends to the 28th–29th generations, with generational characters: Meng, Zhong, Ji, Kai; Mao, De, Hong, Cai; Pi, Zhen, Jia, Xing; Yi, Shi, Rong, Chang. In November of the 26th year of the Qianlong reign (1765), construction of the wall began, taking over two years to complete, and it has withstood nearly four centuries. Originally home to ten surnames, including Huang, it is now exclusively inhabited by the Huang family. During the Daoguang reign of the Qing Dynasty (1821), due to rampant banditry, to ensure the safety of the villagers, Huang Jiangai and others initiated the effort. With the support of the Du clan and others, they hired Liu Junqing, Chen Zhaxi, and others, and after three years of hard work, the enclosure was completed, maintaining its current appearance.

The village faces southeast and backs northwest, following the feng shui principle of “Midday Dragon Coming, Ding Mountain Facing Dui,” with water flowing from the “Chen Direction” (southeast) and “Wei Direction” (southwest), converging at the “Hai Direction” (northwest). Flanked by the “Green Dragon Sands” and “White Tiger Sands,” the southeast ridge resembling twin watchtowers forms the main dragon vein, extending straight to the northwest and resting securely at the core of the enclosure. The open “Bright Hall” is surrounded by majestic, continuous peaks like hoops, embodying an atmosphere of “dragons and tigers guarding, hosts and guests welcoming.” The western water (Jinshui River) flows eastward into the enclosure, aligning with the philosophy that “clear mountains bring noble people, bright mountains bring successful people, smooth mountains bring filial people, thick mountains bring prosperous people, stable mountains bring gathering people. Broken mountains bring sorrow, constricted mountains bring humility, dark mountains bring confusion, shifting mountains bring separation, lean mountains bring hunger.” The entire enclosure resembles a brown gem embedded in green fields, radiating a serene glow.

The wall is built from granite quarried at Xianglingli’s Dashiwok, with gun ports or lookout holes set every 3 meters. An upper-level patrol corridor serves as the defensive structure of the enclosure. It stands 7 meters high, with a circumference of 1,625 meters, a height of 5.1 meters, and a thickness of 0.9 meters, covering an area of 2.74 square kilometers. Its massive, circular-square coin-like design forms a peaceful living circle (with an external drainage system), reflecting the philosophy of harmony between heaven, earth, the enclosure, and people.

The enclosure has four gates: one each on the north and south, and two on the east. The central northern gate is the main gate, featuring a three-tiered, memorial archway-style façade made of granite, with an outer arch and inner square form, 3 meters thick and 7 meters high, all constructed from 21 bluestone slabs (representing the 21 sons of Huang Shi Qiaoshan’s three wives—Shangguan, Wu, and Zheng, who each bore seven sons). The courtyard is paved with pebbles in a circular-square coin pattern, and two sets of 15 pairs of plum blossom pole stones once stood on either side (nine pairs corroded due to sun-drying hides, leaving six surviving pairs). These honored clan members who achieved scholarly honors, earning the village the titles “Village of Jinshi (Advanced Scholars)” and “Home of Local Sages” (a surviving “Jinshi” plaque remains). Huang Zhenmin, a former Polish ambassador, hailed from this village. The gate is adorned with a granite lintel inscribed with “Yuntai” (featuring a side square window) and “Ren Yi Feng Du” (decorated with matching bat motifs on the sides), exuding grandeur. The intricately carved southern gate (Du Residence Gate), also memorial archway-style and arched, has a square safety bolt and is topped with a “sun” finial, inscribed with “Lang Feng Tai” and “You Yuan Bo Hou,” flanked by “Ya Chi” and “Cui Mu,” presenting a majestic presence. The two granite walls rise skyward, inspiring awe. The two eastern gates (eastern side gates): the southern gate features a granite memorial archway façade, inscribed with “Rui Ying Jiao Long,” flanked by “De” (Virtue) and “Li” (Ritual), elegant and sturdy; the northern gate also has a granite memorial archway façade, inscribed with “Wan Gu Xiong Guan,” flanked by a stylized “Shou” (Longevity) character, dignified and appropriate. The four gates serve as ventilation points, interconnected, collectively radiating refined beauty. Outside, a 1-meter-wide pebble path surrounds the enclosure, while an inner walkway is thoughtfully designed.

Spring water flows gently from the north, originally converging from seven streams and reflecting in eight wells, known as “Qichuan Balou (Wells).” Wells such as Shuangba Well, Duwu Well, Xi Wellzi, Dacaiyuan Well, and Shanquan Well were dug, with several drainage ditches at the base of the enclosure leading outward. Inside, there are 17 tiled houses (with earthen-brick rooms for servants, and central rooms for the owners), arranged east-west and aligned north-south, with 2-meter-wide stone or pebble-paved streets that remain dry and smooth as mirrors, winding through secluded paths. Occasionally, you’ll spot “Taishan Stone Dares When” or similar feng shui devices embedded in wall corners. Residential units typically consist of one hall and one room, with the hall and kitchen shared, and the hall opening to a single door connected to the eaves street. Five ancestral halls remain in the village (three collapsed), mostly preserving Qing Dynasty styles. The northern Beimen Ancestral Hall (Jiaoli Ting) has an outer gate with the couplet: “The Gate of Ritual Welcomes Guests from All Directions, the Path of Righteousness Greets Treasures from All Quarters.” The horizontal plaque reads “Safe Entry and Exit,” leading down a quiet path. Flanking blue-brick phoenix-ridge walls and granite arched gates have inner lintels inscribed with “Enter Filial Piety” and “Exit Fraternity,” representing the Huang family’s conduct standards. The front features a square blue-brick screen wall (with an arc top; originally nearly 1 square meter inscribed with “Shou” (Longevity), “Fu” (Fortune), and “Lu” (Prosperity)), with arched gates at both ends; the pebble-paved courtyard features a central circular-square coin pattern. The hall faces southeast and backs northwest, with dragon-head carvings on the door’s side brackets. Granite partition pillars stand at the wall corners for placing barriers. Inside, there are two wells (with granite rims) and three courtyards, with beam structures supported by red sandstone-carved flower bases, and red sandstone-paved edges. A side door leads to east-west pebble-paved alleys. The wooden dome has moon beams with lotus carvings on the padding boards. One-meter-high granite pillars stand on both sides of the main hall (with lion-head engravings; according to village elders, these stones serve two main functions: first, as barriers to prevent poultry from entering, sometimes fitted with fences for cleanliness; second, akin to “Taishan Stone Dares When” for feng shui purposes). The inner shrine holds a Guanyin statue below which is a Tu Di Gong (Earth God) altar. Side walls display portraits of the founding ancestor Huang Qiao and his three wives—Shangguan, Wu, and Zheng. A drainage channel runs underground to discharge outside the hall.

Two other ancestral halls feature dragon-head beam boards, while the Sijia Hall has double-phoenix-and-flower beam boards, with unique designs on the brackets such as flowers and auspicious beasts. Two former academies once stood here, serving as key educational institutions upholding the tradition of farming and scholarship. At the village’s northeast corner, a 3-meter-long stone brush and nearly 1-square-meter graphite inkstone remain as stone evidence of the village’s literary heritage.

At its peak, the enclosure housed over 200 households and 1,200 people. It now has 186 households and around 1,000 people. Elders can often be seen leisurely chatting in the lanes, sharing family stories and enjoying their golden years.

The beauty of Lingxi’s mountains and waters is inseparable from the virtues of its people, who have carefully protected the landscape for generations. According to the *Genealogy of the Huang Clan of Lingxi Dawei*: “...Each branch pooled 1,600 copper coins to repurchase the original mountain at its original price, strictly prohibiting logging. By the 8th year of Qianlong, when the Du clan illegally buried someone there, they were immediately caught, exhumed, and pigs were offered to the land. Mats were purchased as an apology. Then, in the 20th year, the Li clan set fire to the fields, burning all the pine trees, and were fined 1,000 coins in restitution. Since then, prohibitions have been enforced, cultivating feng shui for the prosperity of descendants and boundless blessings...” The community agreed that if anyone caught stealing timber or mixed wood from collapsed hills, they must report it. Failure to do so would result in fines for both parties. For the poor, the fine was limited to 400–500 coins, while the wealthy were fined at the discretion of the community.

Major village customs include: ancestral worship during the Spring Equinox, Spring Lion Dances, joyous lanterns on the ninth day of the first lunar month, and dragon dances for rain during severe droughts, held at the dragon tail position southeast of the enclosure.

A single enclosure stands tall, with four gates open wide, offering a refreshing view, harmonious atmosphere, vibrant life, refined customs, and a distinctive character—these are the essential traits of Dawei Village.

Source: People's Government of Renhua County

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