Nantou Ancient City Museum

Nantou Ancient City Museum

The Nantou Ancient City Museum showcases 1,677 years of Shenzhen’s urban history, exhibiting over 300 cultural relics that narrate the city’s origins dating back to the sixth year of the Xianning era of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (331 AD).

The exhibits are mainly divided into two parts: the first is the indoor exhibition, which, against the backdrop of Nantou Ancient City’s historical changes and humanistic heritage, fully displays the city’s development and its resistance against foreign invasions. The second part includes the display of ancient ruins, the old city area, and historic architecture. A large number of cultural relics and historical buildings reflect the past prosperity and vibrant atmosphere of the ancient city.

The historical root of Shenzhen is Nantou Ancient City. As early as during the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, Nantou became the site of the Panyu Salt Office—one of the 28 salt administration offices in the country, historically known as “Dongguan.” In the first year of the Ganlu era of the Wu Kingdom during the Three Kingdoms period (265 AD), the Sisalt Commandery was established in Dongguan, and the “Leicheng” (Fortified City) was built—this marked the earliest city in Shenzhen. The true beginning of Shenzhen as a city should be the establishment of the Dongguan Prefecture and Bao’an County in the sixth year of the Xianning era of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (331 AD), located in what is now Nantou Ancient City. The Dongguan Prefecture governed six counties, covering areas including present-day Chaoshan, Meizhou, Huizhou, Shenzhen, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Zhuhai, Hong Kong, Macau, as well as Yunxiao and Zhao’an in Fujian. At that time, the economy and culture of this region had already developed considerably.

This ancient city, once known as the “Gateway to All of Guangdong,” now struggles to survive amid the surrounding residential buildings. Today, the entire ancient city forms an irregular rectangle, with the city wall stretching 680 meters from east to west and 500 meters from north to south. Apart from a section of the northern wall that still remains—though uneven and fragmented—the rest has long vanished. Complex historical factors have led to the current awkward state of Nantou Ancient City. It wasn’t until 1999 that preservation and development efforts in Nantou gradually got on track. Currently, the Nantou Ancient City Museum has been established and opened to the public, and the restored South Gate faintly echoes its former appearance. Within the city, there are also preserved historical buildings such as the Wen Tianxiang Memorial Shrine (Xinguo Public Ancestral Hall), the Dongguan Guild Hall, and the Baode Shrine, as well as over 40 residential buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties that feature Lingnan and Southeast Asian architectural styles.

Admission: Free

Address: No. 2, Nantou Jiaochang, Nanshan District

Hours: 9:00–17:30 (Closed on Mondays)

Transportation: Take bus 42/M371/M435/M506 to Xin’an Ancient City

Further Reading:

· National Third-Class Museum of China