Hey Hey and a Big G'Day Toya,

This is what its all about,
Boarding a bus and visiting something as beautiful as the Guangxi New Fort.

I know in my last blog I wrote about my fasination about the Hakka People but it it is also about the Returned Immigrants, those who were promised money and comfort yet boarded boats like cattle, most of them died on the voyage across the seas to countries such as Australia, America and Canada and those who did survive were used as slaves to build roads and railways etc for our countries.

But of course no one knows about this history, why would we teach it, besides the Cantonese the Hakka make up most of the Chinese we see walking around our western streets today.

I have not only visited Yongding but have also travelled around Guangdong Province for several months visiting many sites of the Returned Immigrants who brought with them not only new ideas in architecture but also new customs and of course wealth.

Returning with new ideas was fine but bringing back weath of course attracted it's predators.
So several years ago I travelled Guangdong to visit many of the 'returned' sites and my first link below, besides all of the Hakka Peoples villages was one of THE most amazing things I've ever seen. To see towers posted in the middle of rice fields just seemed alien to me but the fact is, it is the same people (or mostly) doing exactly what I have posted about, changing to protect and add to the below, my next several bogs, the Hakka People are totally amazing!

Kaiping, Zili Village Diaolou Cluster:
Yongding I:
Yongding II:

But let's get back to my current entry and the Jiangxi Hakka People.

Built by a lumber merchant in the early 19th century it is the largest and most ornate fortified village in Longnan County. It has an outer wall used for storage and many many inner walls that make up the living areas. Its size made it easy to actually get lost and I found myself revisiting some of the same areas twice, sometimes three times. Found next to the New Fort is the Guanxi Old Fort which is now almost empty and a decaying fort that is left with strands of garlic hung out to dry.

Unlike the New Fort the Old Fort is made up of several actual large houses.

With a history of more than two hundred years, the New Forts construction lasted around thirty years and comprises of eighteen halls and many smaller rooms. The most impressive rooms are the ancestral halls which are surrounded by rooms once used by the landlord and his family along with mnay smaller rooms in the outer walls for the servants. All paths are paved with stone slabs and exquisite wood, stone and brick carvings can be found everywhere within the labyrinth of the buildings coridoors.

After spending several more hours walking around the surrounding villages I boarded a bus and dropped into visit the Shaba Fortress but sadly it was closed and there was no oone around to see about having it opened for a quick peek....maybe tomorrow, if it doesn't rain!

Beers N Noodles toya...shane
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The Soundtrack to this entry was by Fear Factory
The album was 'Fear Is The Mind Killer'
The first time I saw Fear Factory it was absolutely insane, so totally insane that the singer was knocked out for around half an hour. There was just so many jumpers onstage and people hanging from the rafters. For me this album was one of those that changed the course of music history with its new combination of music styles it absolutely changed what was to come. I wonder how many of the young folk actually know who they are and where their diverse music comes from?
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