Former Residence of Meritorious Officials

Former Residence of Meritorious Officials

The Former Residence of Meritorious Officials is a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Guangdong Province.

The Former Residence of Meritorious Officials, also known as Sun Gang Old Enclosure, is located in Sun Gang Village, Luohu District. Built in the early Ming Dynasty, it was constructed by the He family of Sun Gang to commemorate their ancestor—He Zhen, a renowned figure of the Lingnan region—who rose to prominence here. This site is one of the best-preserved ancient fortress-style village enclosures in downtown Shenzhen. The enclosure is square-shaped, measuring 68 meters from east to west and 63.5 meters from north to south, with watchtowers at each of its four corners. The watchtowers are connected by walls that are 5 meters high and 2 meters wide. Inside, there are three longitudinal lanes, six transverse lanes, over 140 rooms in total, and three wells. The entire structure is grand and imposing. The outer wall of the southern gate is built with stone blocks, and the stone plaque above the gate bears the inscription “Former Residence of Meritorious Officials” in large characters. Currently, parts of the watchtowers have collapsed, and the houses within the enclosure have undergone multiple renovations. On July 27, 1988, it was designated as a municipal-level cultural heritage site by the Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government. On July 17, 2002, it was announced as a provincial-level cultural heritage site.

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of Guangdong Provincial Cultural Heritage Sites