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Ganzhou:Home of the Hakkas
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The Hakkas are a fascinating group of people. They are not, contrary to popular belief, a distinct ethnic group, but rather Han Chinese, who have developed a distinct cultural identity over time.
The term Hakka literally means “guest families.” They were originally northern Han people who fled the central plains due to war. They progressively traveled south, and many lived in hilly places in pursuit of quiet. (This is why the term Hakka is rarely seen north of the Yangtze but is common in the southern provinces and even abroad.)
Given their vicissitudes of life, the Hakka people have remained exceptionally cohesive, retaining traditional cultural values and maintaining their own dialect that differs from those of their “hosts.” Hakka people are mostly found in Guangdong, where the primary dialect is Cantonese, and in southern Fujian, where the predominant dialect is Hokkien.
It is not surprising that the most appealing Hakka legacy can be found in these two provinces. The UNESCO Heritage List features Fujian Tulou in Zhangzhou and Longyan — huge, fortified earthen houses with rooms that only look inward and housing entire clans of up to 800 people each. A representative is the Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster, nicknamed “four dishes and a soup” since a bird’s-eye view of them resembles four plates and a bowl.
Many villages, abandoned or otherwise, in the bustling metropolises of Hong Kong and Shenzhen are Hakka in origin. Hikers in Hong Kong frequently marvel at walled villages such as Lai Chi Wo, which is well worth a visit.
Nonetheless, Tianluokeng and Lai Chi Wo are in rural settings. What about cities? If you want to understand Hakka culture in a city setting, look no further than the largest city in southern Jiangxi Province. Ganzhou takes pride in being known as the “cradle of Hakka culture,” as it was the first stop on the Hakka people’s southerly migration route, with many continuing on to Tianluokeng and Lai Chi Wo.
This month, Longnan, a county-level city administered by Ganzhou, will host the 32nd World Hakka Conference. About 15 million Hakka people live abroad, in addition to approximately 6 million in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau.
Begin your trip to Ganzhou at the modern and excellent Ganzhou Museum, where you can learn about Ganzhou’s Hakka history through good English introductions to each section of the permanent exhibition.
Then, take a cab across the Zhangshui River to the Wei Family’s Courtyard House in the old town. The traditional Hakka family home currently houses the Gannan Hakka Culture Museum, which tells you everything about Hakka life from cuisine to wedding ceremonies.
The Fushougou Museum is one of the two subterranean drainage museums in China, located across the Courtyard House entrance.
The Ganzhou Confucian Temple has an almost 300-year history and was once the site of a local academy. At the exit of the temple, you’ll run into students and parents on Houde Road, home to the city’s best school, the No. 1 Middle School of Ganzhou.
Along Houde Road are snack shops selling Ningdu Meatballs and Shicheng Taro Dumplings, which are delicious Hakka dim sums.
Head to Zao’er Alley, which is decorated with lanterns. Check out the highly rated Dongfu Kitchen for Hakka meals and glutinous rice wine. Although easy to drink, the wine will get you tipsy if you drink too fast!
Explore Zao’er Alley until you reach the Jianchunmen gate for the old city wall. After exiting the gate, you’ll see the Gongshui River and Ganzhou’s most famous landmark, a pontoon bridge dating back to the Song Dynasty (AD 960-1279).
Instead of crossing the river like the locals, return to Jianchunmen and stroll along the city wall to the Bajing Pavilion, located at the confluence of the Zhangshui and Gongshui rivers.
The character gan (赣) in Ganzhou combines zhang (章) and gong (贡), like the two rivers joining to form the Ganjiang River, which flows into China’s largest freshwater lake, Poyang Lake, in the north of the province. The nearby Yugu Pavilion offers a grandstand view of the ancient city.
The Tongtianyan Grottoes in the northwest suburb of Ganzhou are worth a day trip. They are considered the most impressive grottoes south of the Yangtze River and where Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) scholar-official Wang Yangming taught Neo-Confucianism.
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