Dapeng Ancient City
Dapeng Ancient City is an old fortress-town overlooking Daya Bay on Dapeng Peninsula in the east of Shenzhen. The fortress was first established in 1394 and developed into a large town during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The remains of this walled town cover an area of 10,000 square meters....
Dapeng Ancient City is an old fortress-town overlooking Daya Bay on Dapeng Peninsula in the east of Shenzhen. The fortress was first established in 1394 and developed into a large town during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The remains of this walled town cover an area of 10,000 square meters.
There are residents in the alleys outside its walls but nobody lives in the city anymore (although you will see people involved in restoration and reconstruction work). This makes for a slightly eerie experience as you can wander the silent streets freely, watched only by stray dogs. A map is provided with a ticket and the city’s most important structures are highlighted in yellow. There are well-preserved shrines, barracks, administrative buildings, private residences and the ubiquitous temple to Matsu.
The best way to see the city is to enter from the South Gate and move in an anti-clockwise direction, taking in Dongmen Street and Zheng Street. Between the South Gate and the East Gate, the Yiwen Building houses a small exhibition of documents and artefacts recording the city’s history. Dapeng Ancient City is designated as a “patriotism education site” and its important role in the Opium Wars and, after the cessation of Hong Kong, as a frontier garrison is emphasized.
Opposite the Yiwen Building is a residence of a former admiral. The house, which has inner-courtyards, bedrooms, a kitchen and an ancestral worship hall, is an excellent example of how the upper echelons of pre-Liberation Chinese society lived.
A visit to Dapeng Ancient City is well worth the one-hour trip from Luohu. The emptiness gives Dapeng a greater sense of history than Nantou Ancient City. It is a great place to see the layout and architecture of an ancient Chinese city, without the interferences of a modern one.
Dapeng Ancient City is in Longang District just outside the Special Economic Zone. Bus nos. 360 and 364 take about one hour from Luohu District to Dapeng Town (passing the Meisha Beach Parks on the way). From there it is a ten-minute ride on bus 818.
Chiwan Tianhou Palace Temple
Chiwan Tianhou Palace Temple 赤湾天后宫庙
7am –5:30pm
No.9 Chiwan 6th Rd. Nanshan Dist. 南山区赤湾六路9号
(0755) 26851350
Admission: RMB15
Chiwan Tianhou Palace Temple is dedicated to the worship of Tianhou -- or Matsu, as t...
Chiwan Tianhou Palace Temple 赤湾天后宫庙
7am –5:30pm
No.9 Chiwan 6th Rd. Nanshan Dist. 南山区赤湾六路9号
(0755) 26851350
Admission: RMB15
Chiwan Tianhou Palace Temple is dedicated to the worship of Tianhou -- or Matsu, as the coastal people of South Asia more commonly know her. Matsu is the Chinese goddess of the sea. She protects fishermen and others whose lives are dependent on the capriciousness of the ocean. She is worshipped in Fujian, Taiwan, Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau as well as in the Chinese communities of South East Asia.
The Chiwan Tianhou Palace Temple sits at the foot of Xiaonan Hill facing the sea (and surrounded by ship-container yards) in the western part of Shenzhen. There has been a temple here since the late Southern Song dynasty (AD1127-1279), which developed and expanded over the course of the Ming and Qing dynasties.
At the front of the temple complex a large statue of Matsu stands between Moon Pond and Sun Pond, facing a Drum Tower, a Bell Tower and the entrance to the inner courtyard. Just inside the courtyard and behind a small shrine to earth deities, stands the “Celestial Tree.” Those experiencing difficulties or challenges ease their worried minds by writing petitions on red cards and tying them to its branches. Inside the main building an impressive standing statue of Matsu is flanked by large conical stands comprised of numerous small lights. Businesses and households purchase these lights in the hope that they will shine good fortune on them.
Chiwan Tianhou Palace Temple is a popular place of worship and attracts visitors from home and abroad. The two weeks leading up to Matsu’s birthday, which falls on the 23rd day of the 3rd month in the Chinese Lunar Calendar, is a busy period for the temple and an ideal time for visitors to witness a centuries-old, Chinese tradition in action.
Chiwan Tianhou Palace Temple is a RMB15 cab ride from Seaworld in Shekou. It can also be reached by bus nos. 226 and 433.
Le Le and Ying Ying the Pandas
To celebrate the tenth anniversary of
To celebrate the tenth anniversary of
Born in 2005, the panda’s names, Le Le and Ying Ying, mean happiness and abundance. Their names were selected from an extensive public competition and announced on the same day they became
The pandas will be housed alongside An An and Jia Jia,
Star Ferry Tours
For more than 125 years the fleet of Star Ferries (all aptly named after different stars) have been plying Victoria Harbour. In addition to the regular public service, tourists can board the decadent re-creation of the ’Shining Star’ Ferry, one of the standard vessels that traversed V...
For more than 125 years the fleet of Star Ferries (all aptly named after different stars) have been plying Victoria Harbour. In addition to the regular public service, tourists can board the decadent re-creation of the ’Shining Star’ Ferry, one of the standard vessels that traversed Victoria Harbour in the 1920s. Take this oppurtunity to tour what is arguably one of the most photographed and recognizable harbours in the world. A variety of different cruises are offered at different times throughout the day. They include a dazzling ’Symphony of Lights’ harbour cruise, circular day and night trips, and hopping passes. Those worried about seasickness should buy a hopping pass, so they can hop on or off at any of the various calling points. The ferry tours includes commentary in Cantonese, English and Mandarin, an on-board café, and an electronic placement map.
A basic 2-hour round-trip ticket costs $120 and a 3-hour single night ride costs $85.
www.starferry.com.hk
