Stepping Back in Time in Ganzhou

The Guanxi complex in Longnan county, Jiangxi province, is one of the best-preserved Hakka residential buildings in China. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Visitors may easily get lost — in time and physically — while wandering around the ancient labyrinth-like homes for Hakka people in Ganzhou, Jiangxi province.

The well-paved slab stone paths, exquisite wood and stone carvings, and the crisscrossing corridors have all remained intact through the ages like a weaving maze of history.

The Hakka, a subgroup of the Han Chinese people, moved from central China to escape wars and natural disasters centuries ago, and settled down mostly in Guangdong, Jiangxi and Fujian provinces. Its ancient residential buildings, calledweiwu,have become icons of Hakka culture.

Longnan county in Ganzhou is known as "the land of Hakkaweiwu".Among its 376weiwu,the Guanxi complex is one of the best-preserved Hakka residential structures in the country.

An aerial view of the Guanxiweiwuin Longnan county. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Covering an area of over 7,400 square meters, the 200-year-old fortress-like complex is rectangular in shape and consists of 18 halls and several dozen smaller rooms.

"Its architectural structures are particularly impressive and unique, which you can't find elsewhere," said photographer Gui Xiong during his recent trip to Longnan in late September.

Gui took part in an aerial photography contest, which was organized by the Ganzhou government and the China News Service to help promote tourism.

"More people will know about the cultural heritage of Ganzhou through these photographers' works," said Zeng Jiangming, a local publicity official.

Longnan is bidding to host the 32nd World Hakka Conference in 2021, which is one of the biggest gatherings for Hakka people around the world.

An aerial view of the Guanxiweiwuin Longnan county. [Photo provided to China Daily]

The ancient watchtower in Guanxi is bathed in the light of stars. [Photo provided to China Daily]