Lianzhou Yao Village, Qingyuan

Lianzhou Yao Village, Qingyuan According to historical records, the Yao people originally lived north of Dongting Lake and gradually migrated to the borders of Hunan, Guangdong, and Guangxi. Since the Sui Dynasty, the Yao people have gradually migrated to Guangdong in multiple waves, with the most significant migration occurring during the Ming Dynasty. The ancestors of Nangang (including other Yao people) in Lianzhou are considered to be part of the "Changsha Wuling Barbarians" during the Qin and Han Dynasties. The Yao people in Lianzhou are said to have migrated from Daozhou and Jianghua in Hunan. Nangang Yao Village is located 27 kilometers southwest of Lianzhou City, Qingyuan, Guangdong. It was built during the Song Dynasty and has a history of over 1,000 years. The Yao people generally live in the deep mountains, and it is said that "there are no mountains in Lingnan without Yao people." Nangang Yao Village is built on a mountain, surrounded by dangerous mountains and peaks. The stone paths crisscross, and the houses and terraces are stacked in a staggered manner. The ancient village is large, has a long history, and is extremely distinctive. There are still more than 200 people living in the village, mainly from the Deng, Tang, Pan, and Fang clans. They established the democratic election "Yao Lao System" during the Ming Dynasty and formed a sacred and strict "customary law" to strictly manage the mountain village. At the same time, the ancient village has preserved the original bamboo water supply system, collective meeting places, ancient Panwang Temple, and other traditional buildings such as 368 ancient houses, village gates, village walls, and stone paths from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. As the largest Yao village in Lianzhou, Nangang Village has well-preserved natural environment, historical pattern, traditional style, and ethnic customs. The Yao "Shuage Hall", "Long Drum Dance", and "Yao Marriage Customs" are listed as national intangible cultural heritage. The unique Yao marriage customs, Yao folk songs, and Yao embroidery are all listed in the "Guangdong Intangible Cultural Heritage" list, which fully reflects the ancient and long-standing Yao traditional culture of the Yao people in Lianzhou and even China. The ancient village is now a famous historical and cultural village in China and has been rated as one of the top ten most beautiful ancient villages in Guangdong and a hometown of Chinese folk art.