Qiao Island Village | A Free Drive-Accessible Ancient Island Village in Zhuhai
| A Free Drive-Accessible Ancient Island Village in Zhuhai. Qiao Island Village is located on Qiao Island in Tangjiawan Town, Zhuhai City, Guangdong Province. It was first established during the Southern Song Dynasty (1244 AD). The first batch of villagers migrated here from Fujian, Taiwan, Nanxiong, and other places.
Qiao Island Village is characterized by its layout of 'bay, forest, enclosure, village, mountain, and sea,' surrounded by the sea, with scattered houses, crisscrossing paths, and lush greenery.
Qiao Island Village roughly forms a '人' (human) shape with Donghe Street, Nanteng Street, and Baishi Street as the main thoroughfares connecting together. These three streets converge at the ancestral temple. The village currently preserves over 230 ancient buildings, including temples, ancestral halls, ancient fortresses, and old residences.
In modern times, the villagers of Qiao Island fired the first shot in modern China's resistance against foreign opium traders. In 1833, villagers gathered in front of the Tianhou Temple and bravely fought back against British traders with earth cannons and bronze cannons, forcing the invaders to surrender with a white flag. It is said that they paid 3,000 taels of silver as compensation.
The villagers used this compensation to repair the Tianhou Temple and also built the main street in the village, Baishi Street. In 2010, the Qiao Island Ancient Fortress, Tianhou Temple, and Baishi Street, which witnessed this history, were listed as Guangdong Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units.
🚌Transportation:
1. You can drive around the entire island, and most areas offer free parking.
2. You can take bus route 85, and there are bus stops at major attractions on the island.
3. There are many bicycles and electric bikes for rent on the island and in the village, making it particularly pleasant to cycle around the island.
🏠Accommodation:
There are many homestays and restaurants in Qiao Island Village. The village is not large, so it is convenient to walk out for accommodation and dining.
🔺Note:
The roads in the village are narrow, so it is recommended not to drive into the village. Instead, park your car in the public parking lot outside.
🎏Main Attractions in the Village
✅️Baishi Street: The main old street of Qiao Island Village, full of local flavor, with many artistic shops. The couplet on the gate tower, 'Qiao Island has not perished, draw the sword and pledge to kill the enemy; the British army seeks death, abandoning helmets and armor to flee,' vividly demonstrates the villagers' resolute determination to defend their homeland.
✅️Tianhou Temple: Built during the Daoguang period, the main hall enshrines the Heavenly Empress, the left wing enshrines Lady Jinhua, and the right wing enshrines 'General Cai Er,' the local guardian deity of Qiao Island Village.
✅️Su Zhaozheng's Former Residence: The old residence where Su Zhaozheng, an early leader of the Chinese Communist Party and a pioneer and leader of the Chinese labor movement, once lived. The oyster shells on the walls not only provide insulation but also showcase the wisdom of the Lingnan people in adapting to local conditions.
✅️Ancient Fortress: Built at the end of the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, constructed with gray sand. It originally had nine cannon ports. The remaining fortress is 40.5 meters long and 0.55 meters wide.