Hakka-style houses attract flocks of visitors

#TheGreatBeautyofGuangdong With 249 well-preserved unique houses of all sizes, Shixing County, Shaoguan City is crowned as the “Township of the Chinese Circular Houses”. During the last May Day holiday, Shixing held the 2023 Guangdong (Shixing) Circular Houses Culture and Tourism Week, attracting scores of visitors to take an immersive journey to its ancient residences.

Designed to be axially symmetric, the circular houses are a fusion of the northern courtyard and southern residential characteristics of China. With their unique Hakka style, the houses are normally square, rectangular, or ellipse in shape. They can safeguard residences against theft, flood, earthquake, and other disasters. It is also of great value to the study of Hakka history and its cultural roots.

始兴红围 叶丰恒 摄始兴红围 叶丰恒 摄

长围 受访者供图

韶关始兴有“中国围楼文化之乡”之美誉，现存较为完好的大小围楼249座。今年“五一”假期期间，当地举办“2023年广东（始兴）围楼文化旅游周”活动，吸引了许多外地游客前来访古探幽、感受围楼之美。

据介绍，始兴围楼建筑布局多呈中轴对称，围楼的内部结构和建筑风格融合了北方四合院和南方民居的特点，形成了独特的客家民居风格。从外观上看，始兴围楼呈正方形、长方形或椭圆形，具有防盗、防涝、抗震抗灾等特点，对研究客家历史及其文化渊源都具有重要价值。

文/羊城晚报全媒体记者 张文 通讯员 刘真