Famous Ancient Town of Guangzhou: Featuring a Qing Dynasty Private School and 800 Years of Educational History
China boasts vast land and abundant resources, and its five-thousand-year-old culture has left behind numerous treasures. Among the 25 provinces and 312 ancient towns across the country, Shaoyuan Ancient Town holds a place due to its authentic Lingnan culture.
Shaoyuan Ancient Town was founded during the Song Dynasty and has a history of over 800 years. The folk culture and historical culture have brewed a unique Lingnan culture, earning it multiple honors. The town also has many attractions worth visiting, such as Liu-Gen-Ting (Learned Farm Hall), Qing-Shui-Jing (Clear Water Well), and the Farming Life Hall. The Ancient Town Library (Gu-Zhai) also has its own distinctive features.
The Ancient Town Library is located next to Wen-Feng-Ta (Wind Bell Tower) and was built in the mid-Qing Dynasty, restoring the ‘Bu-Bu-Zhai’ culture of that time. Featuring the typical ‘three-room, two-corridor’ architectural style of Shaoyuan, it is ancient and charming, full of vicissitudes.
The library is free to visit and explore, primarily teaching knowledge of the Imperial Examination and Confucian ideas. The walls on the left introduce knowledge of the Imperial Examination, while the right wall is about the ceremony of using a brush. The texts are rich and include a lot of knowledge, especially the ceremony of ‘using a brush’ which looks very solemn. There are also some traditional Guangdong folk rhymes, which are quite interesting.
Further ahead is a scene from the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China private school, with images of Confucius and writing tools such as brushes, ink, paper, and (yan - writing stone) and an old wooden desk. The library also recreates the teacher’s living space, which is very simple but dignified. The stone gate is narrow, and the courtyard is small. Although there is no rustling sound of reading, one can still imagine the scene of people studying.
The library was originally the residence of a Ming Dynasty (jinshi - imperial examination graduate) in Shaoyuan, used for exchanging ideas and discussing the heavens and the earth with friends. It was later transformed into its current form. In the feudal society, the Imperial Examination was a very important thing. From today’s perspective, it may not be fully recognized, but Shaoyuan Ancient Town valued education, which is evident. The town’s educational history is also showcased, and it is called a ‘living specimen’ of town education.
Shaoyuan Ancient Town has abundant material and intangible cultural heritage. As Guangzhou’s only national-level historical and cultural town, it is blessed with talented people, beautiful landscapes, and outstanding scholars, and is a typical example of Cantonese culture in the Pearl River Delta. The Ancient Town Library, as the town’s cultural center, also plays a very important role.
It’s worth mentioning that the environment here is quiet and comfortable, which is very suitable for reading. If you are preparing for an exam, you can go to nearby Jin-Bang-Tiao-Bing (Golden Decision Edict) and Ming-Gong-Jing (Clever Well) to pray for good luck.
