Qingyuan Culture
Rock Carvings
Qingyuan (清远) boasts a rich collection of rock carvings, dating from the Tang Dynasty to the Ming and Qing Dynasties. These carvings feature diverse content and colorful calligraphy, with notable inscriptions by famous figures such as Han Yu (韩愈), Zhou Dunyi (周敦颐), and Su Shi (苏轼). Significant sites include Jinfeng Mountain Rock Carvings (巾峰山摩崖石刻), Guanyin Rock Carvings (观音岩摩崖石刻), Xianling Mountain Rock Carvings (贤令山摩崖石刻), Nanshan Rock Carvings (南山摩崖石刻), Biluo Cave Rock Carvings (碧落洞摩崖石刻), Dayun Cave Rock Carvings (大云洞摩崖石刻), and the Gorge Mountain Rock Carvings (峡山石刻), all of which are designated provincial cultural heritage sites.
Cuisine
Qingyuan's cuisine primarily features Cantonese dishes while integrating unique flavors from Hakka and Yao ethnic groups, creating a distinctive food culture. Qingyuan offers a blend of culinary influences from the Cantonese, Hakka, Danjia, and Zhuang-Yao groups, resulting in local delicacies such as Qingyuan Chicken (清远鸡), Wuzong Goose (乌鬃鹅), Beijiang River Fresh Fish (北江河鲜), and Ai Ci (艾糍).
Intangible Cultural Heritage
Yao Ethnic Group Song and Dance
The Yao Ethnic Group's "Shua Ge Tang" has been a large cultural event in Qingyuan since the Ming Dynasty, commemorating ancestors, recalling history, celebrating harvests, spreading knowledge, and providing entertainment. This folk festival has over 600 years of history. In May 2006, it was approved by the State Council as a national intangible cultural heritage item.
Yao Long Drum Dance
The Yao Long Drum Dance is primarily found in the Pa Yao settlements of LianNan Yao Autonomous County. It is a festive dance performed during traditional festivals such as Spring Festival and "Shua Ge Tang." The dance features a variety of styles, including solo, duo, and group performances, with no limit on group size. Characterized by vigorous movements and a lively rhythm, it was included in the second batch of national intangible cultural heritage items in June 2008.
Yingshi Rockery Bonsai Craft
The Yingshi rockery bonsai craft, a unique folk art in Yingde (英德), primarily uses Yingshi stones. These stones are recognized as one of China's four famous garden stones, showcasing unique formations through long-term natural weathering. In June 2008, the craft was included in the second batch of national intangible cultural heritage items.
Lianshan Yao Small Long Drum Dance
Also known as the Long Drum Dance, this folk dance is practiced by the Yao people in the Lianshan region. Each movement is intricate and expressive, balancing strength and grace. It was included in the city and provincial intangible cultural heritage lists in 2007 and was recognized as a national item in May 2011.
Yao Wedding Customs
The Pa Yao wedding customs encompass five stages: engagement, kinship recognition, date selection, wedding ceremony, and post-wedding visit. These customs deeply reflect the Yao people's culture and traditions. In November 2014, it was approved as a national intangible cultural heritage item.
Yao Bag Puppet Lion Dance
The Yao Bag Puppet Lion Dance, also known as "Wu Mu Shi," is a popular performance among the Yao people, found in villages like Sanshui and Yao'an. With over 100 years of history, this dance encapsulates local cultural expressions and is performed during harvest festivals and spring planting, symbolizing respect for ancestors and wishes for prosperity. In June 2021, it was recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage extension project.
Origin of the Name
The origin of "Qingyuan" is not clearly documented in historical texts. It is thought to derive from phrases such as "Xiang Qing Yi Yuan" or "Qing Xiang Yuan Yi," which reference a line from the Song Dynasty scholar Zhou Dunyi's "On Lotus" that describes the purity and distance of fragrance. Analyzing the toponymy and historical context of Qingyuan County suggests that the name originally meant "clear and vast," reflecting good governance and the region's distance from the central authority.
Cantonese Culture
Qingyuan is a vital part of the Cantonese cultural region. The Cantonese culture is the mainstream culture in Qingyuan, with deep historical, geographical, and ethnic ties to the Cantonese cultural circle. The cultural integration between Qingyuan and the Pearl River Delta is seamless, with similarities in language, customs, lifestyle, and folk beliefs.
Local Language
Statistics show that about 70% of Qingyuan's residents are Cantonese speakers, while approximately 25% are Hakka speakers. Cantonese is primarily spoken in areas such as Qingcheng District, Qingxin District, Yingde City, and Lianzhou City. Hakka is mainly found in Qingxin District, Yingde City, and various towns in Lianzhou. The Yao language is predominantly spoken in LianNan, while the Zhuang language is found in southern Lianshan. The local dialect known as "Hehua" (鹤话) is a form of Minnan dialect spoken in specific areas, originating from migration over 200 years ago.
Cultural Heritage Sites
Huiguang Leaning Pagoda
The Huiguang Leaning Pagoda is a key national cultural heritage site located on Huiguang Road in Lianzhou, about 1 kilometer from the city center. This iconic structure represents typical Song Dynasty architecture and is a significant cultural heritage site for studying Lingnan Buddhist architecture. Originally built during the Northern and Southern Dynasties in 468 AD, it has undergone various renovations, becoming a climbable ancient pagoda in 1985. The pagoda stands 50.13 meters tall and features a hexagonal layout with intricate internal structures.
Qingtang Site
The Qingtang Site, located in Qingtang Town, Yingde City, is another key national cultural heritage site. This cave site exemplifies the transition between the Old and New Stone Ages in South China, revealing a continuous cultural sequence dating back 25,000 to 10,000 years. Artifacts such as human fossils, stone tools, pottery, and animal remains reflect the gradual transition of prehistoric humans from a nomadic lifestyle to a more settled way of life utilizing local resources.
