Dongguan Culture
History and Culture
Historical Background
Dongguan has a long history. Historical records: During the Neolithic Age, primitive groups of people settled along the Dongjiang River in its territory. In the Xia Dynasty in the 20th century BC, Dongguan belonged to Nanjiao. During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, Dongguan belonged to the "Hundred Guangdong Land". In 214 BC, Qin Shihuang unified China, and Dongguan belonged to Panyu County, Nanhai County. During the Eastern Han Dynasty, Emperor Shun of the Eastern Han Dynasty divided Panyu and established Zengcheng, and Dongguan belonged to Zengcheng. In the middle of 222-228 AD, Dongguan County was established in Zengcheng. After entering the Jin Dynasty, Dongguan County was abolished, and Dongguan belonged to Panyu and Zengcheng. In the sixth year of Xianhe in the Eastern Jin Dynasty (AD 331), Dongguan County was established, initially named Bao'an. In the second year of Emperor Suzong's reign of Tang Dynasty (757), the name was changed to Dongguan, and the county seat was placed in Yong (today's Guancheng). This is where Dongguan was named as the county. According to legend, it got its name from the abundance of aquatic grass (guancao) in the territory. Dongguan has a glorious revolutionary tradition. More than 160 years ago, Lin Zexu sold cigarettes in Humen, Dongguan, and wrote a glorious chapter in modern Chinese history. During the Anti-Japanese War, Dongguan was one of the anti-Japanese base areas of the Dongjiang Column. During the Republic of China, it was successively under the jurisdiction of Guangdong Province's Yuehai Road, Central Guangdong Administrative Region, First Administrative Region and Fourth Administrative Region.
On October 17, 1949, the entire territory of Dongguan was liberated. Initially, it was under the jurisdiction of Dongjiang Administrative Region. In March 1950, Dongguan County was affiliated to the Pearl River Prefecture. In 1952, the Pearl River Prefecture was abolished and Dongguan County was placed under the Central Guangdong Administrative Region. In February 1956, the Central Guangdong Administrative Region was abolished and Dongguan County was placed under the Huiyang Prefecture. In November 1958, Dongguan County was briefly subordinate to Guangzhou City. In January 1959, the Huiyang Prefecture was revoked and Dongguan County was placed under the Foshan Prefecture. In June 1963, Huiyang Prefecture was reestablished, and Dongguan County was under the jurisdiction of Huiyang Prefecture. In September 1985, the State Council approved the abolition of Dongguan County and the establishment of Dongguan City (county level), which is still under the jurisdiction of Huiyang area. On January 7, 1988, the State Council approved the upgrade of Dongguan City to a prefecture-level city, directly under the jurisdiction of Guangdong Province.
Folk Art
Dongguan is a famous historical and cultural city in Guangdong Province. Cantonese opera and Cantonese opera sung in Guangzhou dialect have a long history in Dongguan. It is local folk music that absorbs the culture of the Central Plains and is The product of borrowing Western performance techniques, it is now the most widely circulated local music and drama among local people. Dongguan is known as the hometown of Cantonese opera and Cantonese opera. The hometown of Chinese folk arts, Dongguan Muyu Song and Dongguan Puppet Show.
Dragon Boat Racing
In 2001, Dongguan City proposed the strategy of building a "New Cultural City" and vigorously developed social welfare culture; in 2008, Dongguan was rated as a "National Civilized City"; in 2009 In 2010, the public welfare cultural activity of Baizi Thesis, which was deeply loved by the public, was rated as "Chinese Cultural Innovation Brand"; in 2010, Dongguan formulated a strategy to strengthen the city through culture and made every effort to build a famous cultural city.
Dongguan's paintings were influenced by Ju Chao and Ju Lian, the pioneers of the Lingnan School of Painting. They focused on sketching and absorbed the color techniques of Western sketches, which are unique to the Lingnan School of Painting.
Dongguan holds grandly every year the Dragon Boat Festival Dongguan Dragon Boat Race, Wanyi Lion Dance Art, Zhangmutou Hakka Kirin Art, Lychee Festival, Mid-Autumn Lantern Festival, Hundred Sons Thesis, Self-Making Festival, Double Ninth Festival, Flower Market, Flower Street, etc. . With the improvement of Dongguan's material life, Dongguan people have a spontaneous enthusiasm for traditional culture. So that Dongguan's folk culture and art can be inherited and carried forward, presenting a vibrant situation. Therefore, in 1958, Dongguan was hailed as the first "Swimming Town" in the country; in January 2000, the Chinese Dragon Boat Association awarded Shatian Town, Dongguan the title of the first "Dragon Boat Town" in the country; Daojiao was hailed as the "Dragon Boat Town" by the Ministry of Culture "The Hometown of Chinese Folk Art" and "The Hometown of Chinese Folk Art"; Shilong Town, Dongguan is known as the "Hometown of Weightlifting"; Zhongkeng Village and Chang'an Town, Shipai Town, Dongguan were awarded the "Lion Dance Art Prize" by relevant national departments. "Township", in addition, Qingxi Town and Zhangmutou Town are both famous at home and abroad as the hometown of Qilin Art.
Southern Red Beans - Cantonese Opera Drama is one of the most widespread and influential folk arts. Cantonese opera is also deeply loved by the masses in Dongguan. Famous Cantonese opera master Lu Qiguang and other Cantonese opera masters from Guangdong often come to Dongguan's urban and rural areas to perform on stage to sing and convey their skills. The Chang'an Town Amateur Cantonese Opera Troupe also went to Beijing to perform a large-scale Cantonese opera "Si Yuan" in the Great Hall of the People in 2002.
When visiting Dongguan, don’t miss the opportunity to see the “Southern Red Beans”.
Lion dance (dragon, unicorn, phoenix) Dongguan folk dances in the shape of animals are rich and colorful, including dragon dance, phoenix dance, lion dance, unicorn dance and brave dance...especially the lion dance, with superb technique and acting skills Extraordinary and famous all over the world, Chang'an Town was also named the "Hometown of Dragons and Lions" by the State Sports General Administration. Every year during the Lantern Festival, hundreds of dancing lions, golden dragons, colorful phoenixes, and unicorns across the city participate in large-scale lion celebrations to celebrate the Lantern Festival, and the streets in the city are packed with people.
Dragon Boat Racing The Dongguan Dragon Boat Team has won gold cups in international dragon boat competitions held in Hong Kong, Macau, Canada, Singapore and locally. Shatian Town was named the "Hometown of Dragon Boating" by the State Sports General Administration. Every year from the first to the fifteenth day of the fifth lunar month, Shilong and Shuixiang townships hold a series of dragon boat competitions, becoming a scene in Dongguan.
Hakka Folk Songs Hakka folk songs in Qingxi, Zhangmutou and other towns in Dongguan have long been famous for singing folk songs. During festivals, various folk song performances or competitions are often held, which is very lively.
Lychee Festival Every year from the end of June to the beginning of July, it is the ripening season for high-quality lychees such as Guiwei and Nuomici. People from all over Dongguan welcome guests from all over the world with good fruits and hold festive activities to celebrate the harvest and gather friendship.
Dongkeng "Self-selling Festival" - "Turnover Festival" - "Water Splashing Festival" This is an interesting folk festival that has evolved with the changes of the times since the Ming Dynasty. According to legend, during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, every year on the second day of the second lunar month, the extremely poor farmers in Dongkeng and nearby areas gathered under the big banyan tree in Dongkeng Village, waiting to be hired by wealthy families to farm and work. The employers would splash water on anyone they liked. Employed person's clothing. Over time, a folk "Prostitution Festival" was formed. After liberation, especially since the reform and opening up, people's lives have become prosperous, and the "Self-Making Festival" has gradually evolved into the "Returning Festival" and "Water Splashing Festival" to celebrate a better life.
Food Culture
Dongguan cuisine belongs to Lingnan cuisine, which has strong local characteristics. It is divided into mountain flavor cuisine, waterside flavor cuisine, etc. Each has its representative dishes, such as the mountain flavor cuisine. Zhangmutou Hakka Salted Chicken, Dalang Olive Sauce Fried Rice, Qingxi Maogen Soybean Snail Soup, etc. Water town flavors include Shatian Lotus Root and Dragon Bone Soup, Hongmei Taro and Dried Clam Meat, Humen Honey Sauce Grilled Eel, etc.
Gourmet shopping specialties: lychee, Mayong banana, Houjie rice noodle, Houjie sausage, white sand oil duck, Humen shrimp, Humen cream crab
Dongguan’s main restaurants Huayuan Xincun Food Street - Located in the Huayuan Street area at the head of Dongcheng District, it is a very famous eating place in downtown Guancheng City. There are seafood restaurants, Western restaurants, wine bars, porridge shops, tea restaurants, fast food restaurants, bakeries, juice shops, tea houses, Hakka restaurants, sugar shops, etc.
Humen Xinwan Food Street - located in Xinwan Fishing Village, Humen Town. A food street made of bamboo sheds stretches for nearly 100 meters. It has absolutely fresh seafood and simple bamboo tables and bamboo chairs, which is quite unique.
Chang'an Xinmin Food Street - located in Xinmin Village, Chang'an Town, there are arbors stretched out from the seaside, built with fir wood and cedar bark, where you can catch locally produced shrimps, mullet fish, and crabs. Processed, unique flavor.
Shipai Food Street - Located in Zhongkeng Village, Shipai Town, the restaurants here are famous for their carefully prepared pond fish, especially the four major fish species of Dongguan (big carp, grass carp, bream, dace). Fish) are cooked most excellently.
Dalingshan Snake Feast Restaurant - Dalingshan Town is very particular about cooking snake feasts. The stewed snake soup uses a huge pottery jar as a container and is "simmered" with burning chaff firewood. The flavor is so rich that diners never get tired of it after drinking eight out of ten bowls.
Qingxi Hakka Restaurants - The area around Qingxi Town, Dongguan is where Hakkas live together. Many restaurants here serve authentic Hakka dishes, especially Hakka dog meat and stuffed tofu.