Vignettes of the World
The train headed west toward Khiva. As it turned out, the desert climate of Bukhara would pale in comparison to that of Khiva. When we left the train station, we were greeted with a frigidity for which I was completely unprepared. We went from 38 …
I stumbled upon Oi! one day when I was heading over on foot to Tin Hau from North Point. I was first drawn to the beautiful red brick structure and stopped in for a look. There was staff at the help desk there and I …
After the Gankeng Ancient Hakka Townlet and the Dapeng Fortress, the only ancient city left to visit in Shenzhen is the Nantou Ancient City.
The artefacts excavated in Nantou suggests the existence of settlement as far back as the Three Kingdoms period, some 1800 years ago. The city that has continued to this day was built in the 27th year of the Hongwu reign (1394) in Ming dynasty. The Nantou Ancient City was part of the efforts by China’s imperial government to ramp up maritime defense in Shenzhen during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Nantou served as one of the 24 defense outposts along the mountain ridges of Lingnan (southern China), and the Dapeng Fortress was another one of the 24. Of these defense outposts, only Nantou and Dapeng have survived the passage of time.
During the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty, Nantou was the seat of administration of the Xinan County. There is significance in this fact because Hong Kong itself was considered part of Xinan County during much of the imperial times. Therefore Hong Kong is featured in quite a number of historical exhibits in Nantou.
During the early Qing dynasty, many Hakka people settled down in this part of Shenzhen. Due to its coastal location, Nantou’s people engaged in all sorts of maritime trade, including fishing, oyster harvesting and salt drying. When Canton became the only trading port with foreigners in China during the Qing dynasty, Nantou experienced a flourishing development of trade, owing to the rise of the Thirteen Factories in Guangzhou.
It was with excitement that I arrived at the South Gate of the Nantou Ancient Town. Yet there were ways in which it surprised me in a not-so-pleasant way.
As compared to the Gankeng Hakka Townlet, which was mostly a migrants’ settlement for three hundred years, the Nantou Ancient Town exhibited a lot more modern elements in its restoration. Its whole character was more modern than it was “ancient.” I felt like I was simply walking inside a leisure area with some ancient characteristics. The same comparison goes with its historic counterpart, the Dapeng Fortress, which stood within a clear, enclosed boundary with mostly ancient structures throughout the area.
Photo: The plaque at the watchtower of the South Gate says “Lingnan Stronghold,” a testament to one of Nantou’s original role as a city of defense in China’s imperial times.
The South Gate (Old Gate) of Nantou was built during the early Ming dynasty and it did undergo restoration during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Lying at its foundation are granite slabs. There are brick layers covering the granite base. A brick structure on the second story served as the watchtower. Lying next to the wall is a ruins.
The Xinan County was severed from the administrative jurisdiction of Dongguan in the first year of the Wanli reign (1573) in Ming dynasty. At the time of establishment, Xinan, with its Chinese characters meaning “new” and “secure,” bore the good will of the government as its name means “replacing the old with the new and turning the crisis into safety.” During the Ming and Qing dynasties, due to its role as an administrative seat of the government with a defensive purpose, the Xinan County Government Office was an extensive structure with 5 halls on its main axis and flanking courtyards on both sides. Now only the eastern courtyard has been preserved and it is open for touring.
In the 8th year of the Kangxi reign (1699), the coastal eviction edict issued by the Qing government was finally lifted. The displaced people formerly living in the coastal areas of southern China (pretty much all of Shenzhen and Hong Kong) could return to their hometowns. The Baode Ancestral Hall, meaning “Gratitude Temple,” was built in honor of the Inspector General of Guangdong, Wang Lairen, and the Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi Provinces, Zhou Youde. The people wanted to thank them for putting forth a formal request to the Qing government to approve a rebuilding of the Xinan County.
At the Wen Tianxiang Ancestral Hall, Wen Tianxiang is celebrated for his patriotism to the Song dynasty. In Chinese history he was hailed as a national hero, who refused to capitulate to a new dynastic power and died as a result. His descendants had settled down all throughout southern China, and built this ancestral hall in his memory in Nantou. The first restoration of the ancestral hall took place in the 12th year of the Jiaqing reign (1807).
The first exhibition that we came across was a digital rendition of a part of Nantou’s history, entitled Nantou 1820. It showcases a history of thriving commercial life in Nantou. The exhibition is held at the Nantou Digital Pavilion on Zhongshan Nanjie (Zhongshan South Street), and prebooking is required (you may do your prebooking right at the spot with your phone).
We then came upon another exhibition of ancient maps, although they are likely all repicas. Out of the exhibitions that we have seen in Nantou, that was perhaps the most interesting. We saw how historically Shenzhen and its municipalities are reflected and represented in the maps. The exhibition is on Zhongshan Xijie (Zhongshan West Street).
Finally, there is an exhibition showing the artefacts that were excavated in Nantou, mostly from the ancient graves. These exhibits show that there had been settlements here for thousands of years, way before the establishment of Nantou in Ming dynasty. I found the exhibits to be moderately interesting. This exhibition is held at the House of the Man’s (Wenshi Huazhai).
Note that the Museum of Nantou, like all others in China, are closed on Mondays.
All in all, the vibes there at Nantou were more modern than ancient. The experience at Nantou was not too bad if you care more about the leisurely aspects of touring an ancient city. It gets very crowded on the weekends as well, so do bear in mind.
Descriptions on site at the Nantou Ancient City.
Tin Hau is a haven of good food in Hong Kong. Restaurants serving Hong Kong’s favorite beef brisket noodles once sprawled in this area. The well-known one was Tai Lee. Now there are just about a couple of good ones, namely Sister Wah and Eight …
One Last Look at Xingping There was no need to get breakfast as eating breakfast is not my habit, but I was craving for one last good experience in Xingping. I would be leaving a little after lunch that day. At that hour of the …
At the hotel I inquired about a private car ride to take me to Xianggong Shan for sunrise viewing. After a day, I was told that there would be no one else to join me on this ride, and therefore I would be fully responsible for the RMB 180 yuan fee for the car and the driver. I was happy to pay that, although I already knew that the weather conditions would not be favorable.
Bright and early at 5:30am I waited outside of my hostel for the driver to arrive at 5:50am. Surely the drive came a little early at 5:45am. He first took me on to a rubber raft to cross the Li River, the pier of which lies right by the hostel. He parked his car at the other shore.
The way up Xianggong Shan is an easy 20 minute climb. The car park was at a high altitude already. Topping up with a 20 minute climb, I ended up at a very high vantage point to savor a 270-degree view of the karst peak clusters.
It was pitch dark when I made my way up. I quickly secured a viewing spot, as I was a little surprised how many people were doing the same as I did (and why did none of them join me and share my cost for the ride).
It takes little imagination for one to see how beautiful an experience it would have been had the sky been clear. At that viewing platform I could see quite clearly the town settlement that lies by the river and enveloped by an endless rolling of karst peaks. The fog did bring forth a somewhat melancholy vibe to the scenery, like a classic Chinese ink painting.
The day was not only gloomy, but with thick, heavy overcast that prevented the proper appearance of sun rays, let alone the sun itself. I was lucky enough to be able to observe a progression of light in my hour spent there at the peak. Perhaps a little surprisingly, I found the half hour before the sunrise to present more intriguing views of the scenery, when the lights of the underlying town settlement were still visible in pitch darkness.
I visited Guilin in January and so anyone doing a sunrise tour must bundle up with warm clothing. A down jacket, a scarf and perhaps a beanie would be necessary.
I have seen much of the three ancient towns of Huangyao, Yangshuo and Xingping on this trip. It is a good idea to share a few brief insights about these three towns.
Huangyao is the most friendly to tourists that look for heritage and learning. Throughout my stay at Huangyao, I saw clear signs explaining the history of old structures. In Xingping, the businesses were more catered to the interests of those tourists looking for leisure and relaxation. The restaurants there came with a much greater variety, the shopping was more diverse and interesting. In terms of heritage, there was not a focus in Xingping on imparting historical knowledge to the tourists, although the antique quality of the town’s character was clear and it was just as beautiful.
Of the three ancient towns, Xingping seemed to exhibit the most authenticity in terms of being a town with its own local life. Both Huangyao and Yangshuo strike me as locations that lived and breathed the economy of tourism. Xingping, however, seemed to show a life of its own besides the heavy tourist presence.
As to Yangshuo, I have passed the age when I could have liked it for the party atmosphere at night. The so-called heritage sites in Yangshuo are for show (meaning instagrammable pictures) only. But for tourists looking for a good time at hip bars with the latest dance music, Yangshuo certainly is the place to be. The food choices in Yangshuo were also more “local,” as compared to the wide selection of western styled foods in Xingping.
However, the river views of Yangshuo really does top all that of Guilin, as it claims itself to be. Seeing it is believing it.
Li River was always known and praised for its beauty. The Yellow Cloth Shoal, a scene of the karst peak clusters at the Li River, is featured on the RMB 20 yuan bank note. It brings the Li River to the fore of China’s national …
The fishermen of Xingping had engaged in the cormorant in their fishing practices for centuries. This very special practice has drawn many interested tourists and I was keen to see it when I went to Xingping. There are two options in terms of boat rides …
The Asia Society Hong Kong is a nonprofit and educational organization that aims to promote mutual understanding in all matters of culture, arts, policy and politics in Asia.
Located in the former Victoria Barracks area, the Asia Society has taken over the former Explosive Magazines A and B as its venue of events and exhibition. The whole area comes with a holistic approach to historical preservation, art, ecology and architecture.
The Asia Society established its branch in Hong Kong in 1990. The current site for the Asia Society was opened in 2012. The site consists of a new building and four other heritage buildings, with a connecting bridge and a podium with art exhibitions.
There are a few heritage buildings in the Asia Society complex. The Starr-Greenberg Building is now the administrative office for Asia Society. Former Magazine A is now the Chantal Miller Gallery and it is the venue for exhibitions. Former Magazine B is now the Miller Theater. Some of the original features of the magazine turned out to serve unintended benefits for the theater. Finally, the GG Block close to the entrance of Asia Society is now also the office space for administration. The rest of the Asia Society complex were newly constructed in 2012 with the support of private funds and donations, and it is fully owned by Asia Society.
Award-winning U.S. architect Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects designed the complex with restoration, conservation and adaptation in mind. The entrance hall of Asia Society is lined with artificial marble from Iran, with patterns that echo the natural granite of Magazine A in the site. This is part of the effort to incorporate eco-friendly concepts in the site design.
There are a few pieces of artwork in the Joseph and Josephine Lau Roof Garden, which is meant to be a zen garden and a place of respite within Hong Kong’s urban landscape. Artist Zhang Huan derived his inspiration for the copper and steel piece Long Island Buddha from a trip to Tibet. He observed the damages done to the buddha statues there and renewed his thinking about the Cultural Revolution. Therefore on this artwork some sections show intentional dents and damages as an artistic message.
The marble on the walls at the zen garden match with the environment and feature textured stones from Burma.
The Yasumoto Bridge is intended to be an ecological walkway, where pedestrians will enjoy bird viewing and their singsongs with the urban views of Hong Kong island on the side. On the hillside, the original fan palms there were preserved and new ones were planted to serve as a habitat for the short-nosed fruit bat. These fruit bats are seen at dusk.
This bridge was restored during the building period. It was supposed to be a straight bridge leading directly to the magazine, but the elbow bridge now provides a v-shape, pointed viewing point. During the construction, the fruit bats flew away but they came back when the fan palms were replanted.
Of the many heritage sites at the Asia Society, I found the explosives track to be the most interesting. The history of the Former Explosives Magazines must be understood within the larger context of British strategic defense in this whole area of Admiralty.
At one point in history, the Arsenal Yard was located at the seaside. Now this location is the Hong Kong Police Headquarters. Going north, the Arsenal Street used to be where the raw materials for ammunition and explosives were transported to the Victoria Barracks by the coolies. The workers must wear lint-free garment to avoid causing sparks when they transported the explosives. The architects have preserved the transportation tracks as a way to celebrate the unique history of the former Victoria Barracks.
Photo: The stones next to the former explosives-mixing facility are the foundation for the explosives transportation paths.
In 1865, the British army built the former explosive-mixing facility that would eventually become the Starr-Greenburg Building. This building comes with some typical colonial building features, including a veranda. Veranda A is where the stone path from a century ago as well as the stone foundation of the columns are seen.
The Boundary Stones were there since 1910, before the site was occupied by the British Navy. In this year the British army handed over this site to the Royal Navy, and the five boundary stones were established here. Admiralty acquired its name as the region governing the Royal Navy.
In a previous entry, I have shared about an exhibition of old photographs of Hong Kong held at the Chantal Miller Gallery, Former Magazine A. Magazine A had not changed except for the gate. It was built of granite. The entry hall’s granite, mentioned earlier, was meant to simulate this natural granite at Magazine A. Its wall is quite thick at 8 feet, one of the obvious reasons is to protect against explosion and to keep the temperature constant.
Photo: the cannons on site were discovered during the restoration. One is front-loaded and one is back-loaded.
Magazine B was built in 1905, of bricks. Bricks were comparatively easier and faster to source than granite. At the time of construction, the British army wanted to gain control of this site. It wanted to stop the civilian government from taking this land to widen Kennedy road. Therefore it used bricks as a measure of expediency.
For ammunition storage, originally there were four chambers to keep the explosives. During the restoration, the architect removed two walls. The theatre accommodates 176 people, and the plasterer roof is original. As it is now, the building is a double-wall construction, helpful for sound and temperature-proofing.
The corridor inside Magazine B was for inspection, and the inspectors took their oil lamps to peep through the small windows. The dome-shape corridor prevents catastrophe – in the unfortunate event of explosions, the force would push upward instead of sideways, and the corridor passage is for quick evacuation. The brick was bound in English bonding, one long brick against one short brick, double wall.
There are free tours conducted in English or Cantonese available for sign up at the Asia Society website. There is one Cantonese tour and one English tour held on the same day once per month, usually at the end of the month. Be sure to visit the website at the beginning of the month of the tour to book in advance, because they do get full.
The address of the Asia Society Hong Kong is 9 Justice Drive, Admiralty, Hong Kong.
Descriptions on site at the Asia Society.
The website of the Asia Society.
Free English tour of the Asia Society.
In the morning I inquired with the hotel staff the possibility of maybe joining a half-day tour to see the Silver Caves. To my surprise, (and this really is very surprising to me), the hotel staff advised me not to join those tours. They said …