Shawan Ancient Town

Shawan Ancient Town

Shawan Ancient Town is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

Shawan Ancient Town is a Lingnan cultural town with over 800 years of history. It got its name from being located by the crescent-shaped sandy beach of an ancient bay. Situated at the geometric center of the Pearl River Delta, Shawan is just across a river from downtown Panyu in Guangzhou to the north, faces Dongguan and Shenzhen to the east, neighbors Zhongshan and Zhuhai to the south, and connects to Shunde and Nanhai to the west, enjoying highly accessible transportation. According to historical records, this area was originally just a small fishing village where fishermen gathered. By the Song Dynasty, the northwest of Shawan had become land while the southeast was still shallow sea. Through generations of immigrants reclaiming land from the sea, the cultivated area continued to expand. In the sixth year of Shaoding during the Southern Song Dynasty (1233 AD), He Deming, an ancestor of the He family, came here from inland, purchased a large amount of mountain land and tidal flats in Shawan, settled down, and raised a prosperous family, becoming extremely wealthy. Shawan gradually developed into a land of fish and rice. Hence, there is a saying in Panyu: “A He from Shawan never has to worry about not finding a wife.” From the late Song to the early Yuan Dynasty, a large number of immigrants fled to Lingnan, many of whom settled in Shawan. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, scholars and successful examination candidates emerged from various clans, and many of these families grew into prominent lineages.

Since the reform and opening-up, leveraging its superior natural conditions and convenient water and land transportation, Shawan has achieved sustained, steady, and healthy development in both its town and village economies and various social sectors. The region’s overall strength has continuously increased, propelling its economic and social development to the forefront among towns in Guangdong Province. Over the past few years, Shawan has been honored with titles such as National Civilized Town, China's Famous Historical and Cultural Town, China's Hometown of Folk Art, National Sanitary Town, Guangdong Provincial Central Town, Guangdong Provincial Strong Education Town, and Guangdong Provincial Strong Economic Town in Rural Comprehensive Strength.

Museum of Lingnan Folk Architecture Culture

Despite having endured over 800 years, Shawan Ancient Town retains the complete layout of a typical commercial market town in central Guangdong, known as “Three Streets and Six Markets.” The town now features approximately 70,000 square meters of ancient architecture, including the ancestral hall Liugeng Hall, the ancient pagoda Shuilushanqing Wen Pavilion, the historic streets Anning West Street and Chebei Street, the ancient alley Shengping Rensui Alley, the ancient well Qingshui Well, and the Aoshan Ancient Temple Complex. These sites house a wealth of artistic treasures such as brick carvings, stucco reliefs, wood carvings, and murals, fully showcasing the urban evolution of the Pearl River Delta from the Song Dynasty to the present. It can be regarded as a museum of Lingnan folk architectural culture.

Ancient Town Street Graffiti

The village site of Shawan Ancient Town is backed by Qingluo Ridge and faces the Shawan Waterway, with Wen Tower Hill in the middle, representing a typical traditional feng shui pattern of southern villages. When visiting the ancient town area of Shawan, one must see Liugeng Hall. According to research by the Cultural Relics Office of the Panyu Museum, Liugeng Hall is the oldest, most rigorously laid out, grandest in scale, most exquisitely crafted, and best-preserved classic example of a central Guangdong ancestral hall in Panyu. Covering a construction area of 3,334.45 square meters, it integrates architectural features from the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, making it a comprehensive art palace.

Former Residence of He Shaoxia

Huiyan He Ancestral Hall

Former Residence of He Shaoxia

Chichang Hall

Yuxu Palace

Sanren Hall

Shawan Liugeng Hall (He Clan Ancestral Hall)

Shawan Liugeng Hall (He Clan Ancestral Hall)

Ancient Town Study

Shawan Wenfeng Pagoda

Huang Youzhen Cliff Cypress Art Museum (Zhennan Ancestral Hall)

Sanren Hall

Renrang Public Bureau

Qingshui Well

Ancient Town Street Graffiti

Shawan Guangdong Music Museum

Shawan Liugeng Hall (He Clan Ancestral Hall)

Shawan Sanren Hall

Memorial Hall of Academician He Binglin

Recommended Visit Duration: 1 day

Transportation: Take Metro Line 3 to Shiqiao Station, exit from Exit B, turn right, and take Bus 67. Get off at Shawan Cultural Center Station.

Opening Hours: 9:30–17:30

Attraction Location: Shawan Cultural Station, Daxiangyong Road, Shawan Town, Panyu District, Guangzhou

Visitor Service Center (Ticket Office) Address: No. 64, Daxiangyong Road, Panyu District, Guangzhou

Phone: 020-84736168

Shawan North Village: Located in the northern part of Shawan Town, south of Qingluo Road, Shawan North Village covers an area of approximately 2.4 square kilometers. It comprises 13 villager groups, with a total population of over 1,760.

With a history of over 800 years, Shawan North Village features exquisitely laid-out ancient streets and lanes, all paved with granite slabs. The area is home to several provincial-level cultural heritage sites, including the “Liugeng Hall,” “Guangyu Hall,” and “Chebei Street” ancient architectural complexes, which are considered representative of Lingnan ancient architecture. Xiangxian Middle School, located just north of the center of North Village, has nearly a century of educational history and is a nationally recognized... [Shawan North Village Detailed Information++]