Qingtian Village in Xintan Town, Shunde District, Foshan City, is a over 400-year-old Lingnan water town renowned for its unique layout shaped like a "snail", covering an area of 690 mu (46 hectares).
Qingtian Village in Xintan Town, Shunde District.
Entering Qingtian, 163 houses with blue bricks are scattered along the river, forming a unique spatial layout that resembles "a jade belt encircling the village and nine dragons spitting out pearls." Nine stone-paved alleys run through the village from north to south like sleeping dragons, and the 1,800-square-meter-long street paved with 1,800 stone slabs remains the central venue for villagers' activities.
People are visiting an art exhibition in Qingtian.
The village is shaped like a snail, with surrounding rivers and streams designed to follow tidal patterns through a concealed embankment water system. Historic structures from the Qing Dynasty—such as the watchtower, Guandi Temple, and Qingli Study Hall—stand alongside a ten-mu lotus pond and a centuries-old banyan tree, together forming the "Eight Scenic Spots of Qingtian."
In summer, the pond in Qingtian Village is covered with lotus leaves.
In recent years, Qingtian Village has continuously embraced artistic elements. In 2021, the Qingtian Art District was completed, transforming old factories into 4,700 square meters of artistic space. Art exhibitions and creative markets add to the diverse charm of Qingtian.
Here, you can experience the traditional and artistic atmosphere of a Lingnan water town.
Reporter: Liu Ziru, Zhang Yanqing
Photo: Publicity Department of Xingtan Town
Editor: Huang Qini, James, Shen He
