Zhuhai Doumen
2 min readGENUINE ANTIQUITY
With languorous walkways leading through sleepy courtyards，a visitor may be quite content wandering past lush Longan trees.If you crave human company or mental stimulation，however，you can find a bustling scene in the cafes and restaurants neatly situated in the village’s many old residences.
Qixia Xianguan，Huitong Village
The most eloquent and touching expression of Huitong Village’s mystique is the”Wuthering Heights of Zhuhai”，haunting，romantic and brooding-tucked away in the village’s southeast corner.Walking into the mansion，residing there like some frazzled hermit, puts one in mind of Emily Bronte’s snowed-in farmhouse on the moors in 1801, with all its creepy secrets.
Cool, dark, and quiet, with an abundance of whispers from the past to keep you company, one need not be inclined to melancholia to appreciate the coffee house in the romantically tragic Qixia Xianguan residence.
A HERITAGE CITY
Luyi Tang，doumen
Whether the shell walls are bulletproof is unknown, but the stunningly well-conserved facade obviously has survived numerous typhoons in a space of more than 600 years. The baptism of time only adds luster to the mythical elegance of the houses, presenting magical interaction between natural gifts and human ingenuity.
PEACE & ENLIGHTENMENT
First built approximately 700 years ago by the remnants of the dying Southern Song Dynasty, Jintai Temple presents a graceful, awe-inspiring sight. The locals believe thesoul of Zhang Shijie, one of the”three generals of the late Southern Song”, rests near the temple’s original site.
DOUMEN OLD STREET
The ancient Doumen Old Street，nestled in the beating heart of the Doumen”xu”，is not merely a spruced up，gaudy street under the guise of”authenticity”.The booths are not just ghostly shells of the past，but are still quite lived-in.Despite its small population，this exquisitely decaying monument is still breathing，with well-conserved southern China style arcade buildings.
ZHUHAI IS A LEGEND
With a little imagination，as you stroll along the withering arcades，througha plethora of shady courtyards，admiring exquisite flourishes，you can still relive the noise，the loud baby cries and laughter that was once here.
The colorful folk arts and cultural delights of Zhuhai include the Phoenix-Rooster Dance that boasts a history dating back in the Ming times of China.
Dragon Dance from Doumen
CRANE DANCE FROM SANZAO
One of the crown jewels of Zhuhai’s cultural pride, the “Crane Dance”originated in the Sanzao area of southern Zhuhai. In ancient times, the vast mangrove forests, mudflats and marsh sprawls made the islands a food paradise for fowls and beasts. The locals'”crane totem”evolved into a singing and dancing form that later became a standard program in the festival calendar of Sanzao. Underneath the jubilant presentation is a strong current of solemnity expressed through three choreographic climaxes symbolizing the immortalization of the”cranes”ascending to heaven.
