Ganzhou – home of the Hakkas
The Hakkas (客家人) 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 广东, where the primary dialect is Cantonese 粤语, and in southern Fujian 福建, where the predominant dialect is Hokkien 闽南话.
It is not surprising that the most appealing Hakka legacy can be found in these two provinces. The UNESCO Heritage List features Fujian Tulou (福建土楼) at Zhangzhou (漳州) and Longyan (龙岩) – 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 田螺坑土楼群, 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 (Hong Kong was historically part of Guangdong) are Hakka in origin. Hikers in Hong Kong frequently marvel at walled villages such as Lai Chi Wo (荔枝窝), 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 (赣州) takes pride in being known as the "Cradle of Hakka Culture (客家搖籃)," as it was the first stop on the Hakka people's southerly migration route, with many continuing on to Tianluokeng and Lai Chi Wo. In November, the county-level city of Longnan (龙南), which is administered by Ganzhou, will host the 32nd edition of the significant World Hakka Conference (世界客属第32届恳亲大会). (About 15 million Hakka people live abroad, in addition to approximately 6 million in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau.)
The Wei Family's Courtyard House
Begin your trip to Ganzhou at the modern and excellent Ganzhou Museum (赣州市博物馆), 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 River Zhang (章水) to the Wei Family's Courtyard House (魏家大院) in the old town. The traditional Hakka family home currently houses the Museum of Hakka Culture of Southern Ganzhou (赣南客家文化博物馆), which tells you everything about Hakka life from cuisine to wedding ceremonies.
The Ganzhou Museum
The Fushougou Museum (福寿沟博物馆) is one of two subterranean drainage museums in China, located across the Courtyard House entrance. The Ganzhou Confucian Temple (赣州文庙) 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 (厚德路), home to Ganzhou's best local school, No.1 Middle School (赣州市第一中学).
There are snack shops selling Ningdu Meatballs (宁都肉丸) and Shicheng Taro Dumplings (石城芋饺), which are delicious Hakka dim sums on Houde Road. Head to Zao'er Alley (灶儿巷), which is decorated with lanterns. Check out the highly rated Dongfu (董府) Kitchen for Hakka meals and sticky rice wine. Although easy to drink, the wine will get you tipsy if you drink too fast!
Ningdu meatballs are a delicious Hakka snack.
Explore Zao'er Alley until you reach Jianchunmen (建春门) for the old City Wall. After exiting Jianchunmen, you'll see the River Gong (贡水) and Ganzhou's most famous landmark, the Song Dynasty pontoon bridge (宋代古浮桥).
Historic Zao'er Alley at night
Instead of crossing the river like the locals, return to Jianchunmen and stroll along the City Wall to the Bajing Pavilion (八境台), located at the confluence of the Zhang and Gong Rivers. The character 赣 in Ganzhou 赣州 combines Zhang 章 and Gong 贡, like the two rivers joining to form the River Gan 赣江, which flows into China's largest freshwater lake, Lake Poyang 鄱阳湖 in the north of the province. The nearby Yugu Pavilion (郁孤台) offers a view of the ancient city.
A boat selling salted fish is docked at the historic pontoon bridge over the River Gong. In the background is Jianchunmen.
Explore Tongtianyan Grottoes (通天岩石窟), the most impressive grottoes south of the Yangtze and where Ming Dynasty scholar-official Wang Yangming 王阳明 taught Neo-Confucianism.
The Ganzhou Confucian Temple
Travel Tips
From Shanghai Hongqiao railway station, a high-speed train can take you to Ganzhou. The quickest service departs Shanghai at 07:15 and arrives in Ganzhou West in less than 5 hours. Another option is to take flight MU2994 from Hongqiao International Airport, which departs at 18:25 and arrives Ganzhou in 100 minutes.
