Nantou Ancient City: The historical origin of Shenzhen, with a city development history of nearly 1700 years

Nantou Ancient City, also known as "Nantou Ancient City", is currently the largest historical and cultural tourist attraction in Shenzhen. Located on the east bank of the Pearl River Estuary, it served as the administrative center, coastal defense fortress, maritime traffic hub, and foreign trade distribution center for the coastal areas of Lingnan in various dynasties. It is also the historical origin of the Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Macau region. Here is a detailed travel guide for Nantou Ancient City: ●Address: No. 12020 Shennan Avenue, Nantou Street, Nanshan District, Shenzhen. ●Admission: Free. ●Opening Hours: ●【Xin'an County Yamen】10:00-17:00 daily (closed on Mondays). ●【Dongguan Guild Hall】10:00-17:00 daily (closed on Mondays). ●【Xinguo Gong Wen Clan Ancestral Hall】10:00-17:00 daily (closed on Mondays). ●【Baode Ancestral Hall】10:00-17:00 daily (closed on Mondays). ●【Plaque Story Museum】10:00-17:00 daily (closed on Mondays). ●【Nantou Fine Cultural Relics Series Exhibition】10:00-17:00 daily (closed on Mondays). ●【Nantou 1820 Digital Exhibition Hall】Tuesday to Friday 10:00-20:00, Saturday and Sunday 10:00-20:30 (closed on Mondays), with a multimedia film played every 20 minutes (duration 4 minutes). ●【Nantou Ancient City Museum】10:00-17:00 daily (closed on Mondays). ●Transportation: ●Bus stations: 【Nantou Ancient City Station】, 【Nantou ① Station】, 【Nantou ② Station】, 【Nantou Public Security Sub-bureau Station】. ●Subway: Take Metro Line 12 to 【Nantou Ancient City Station】 or 【Zhongshan Park Station】. ●Self-driving: The ancient city provides a parking fee service, follow the 【Nantou Ancient City】 official WeChat account for self-service payment. ●Recommended check-in spots: Nantou Ancient City Archway (take a photo from the overpass for a more imposing view), South City Gate (a major town in Lingnan), East City Gate. ●Important Attractions: ●【Xin'an County Yamen】is an ancient building within Nantou Ancient City. In the first year of Wanli of the Ming Dynasty (1573), the Ming government expanded the Dongguan defense base, established Xin'an County, and set the county seat at Nantou, governing the area including present-day Shenzhen and Hong Kong. ●【Dongguan Guild Hall】also known as "Bao'an Public Hall", was originally built in the seventh year of Tongzhi (1868) and rebuilt in the thirty-third year of Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty (1907). During the Tongzhi era, Liang Jin'ao inscribed the stone door in regular script as the hall name, and there are also four stone plaques from the construction of the "Bao'an Public Hall", which is the only preserved guild hall building in Shenzhen. ●【Xinguo Gong Wen Clan Ancestral Hall】The existing building was rebuilt in the twelfth year of Jiaqing of the Qing Dynasty (1807) and again in 1995, now serving as a worship and activity place for the Wen clan. ●【Baode Ancestral Hall】was originally built during the Ming Dynasty and is an ancestral hall that has been rebuilt multiple times during the Qing Dynasty, the Republic of China, and modern times. The hall worships the sea goddess Tianhou, former magistrates, heroes of the resistance against Japanese pirates and the Opium Wars, with their spirit tablets placed in the hall. It is currently the "Nantou Ancient City Sages and Filial Piety Culture Exhibition Hall". ●【Plaque Story Museum】The exhibition mainly displays historical plaques from the Ming and Qing Dynasties collected around the ancient city, divided into three categories: "Commercial Shop Signs", "Merit Plaques", and "Hall Plaques". ●【Nantou Fine Cultural Relics Series Exhibition】There are three major exhibitions: "Gleaning at Dawn and Dusk--Nantou Fine Excavated Cultural Relics Exhibition", "Unique Craftsmanship--Cultural Relic Restoration Craft Workshop", and "Woven Gold and Colorful Glaze--Export Porcelain of the Maritime Silk Road". ●【Nantou 1820 Digital Exhibition Hall】has two exhibition halls, A and B, centered around the silk scroll "Nantou Prosperous Assembly Scenic Map", presenting the lively scenes of ancient Nantou Ancient City life. ●【Nantou Ancient City Museum】comprehensively displays the nearly 1700-year history of Shenzhen's urban development and the historical origin status of Nantou Ancient City in the Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Macau region.