Few know that hidden amongst Shenzhen’s modern skyscrapers lies a historical treasure named Ngam Tau. Ngam Tau or Nantou is an ancient walled city. It is 1700 years old. Once, Shenzhen was a small village. Nantou was a prosperous village then. Its strategic importance warranted protective walls. They helped ward off Japanese pirates.
After the first Opium War, the British Empire won. Chinese mandarins signed away Hong Kong island. They did it in a small government building within Ngam Tau’s walls. Today, Ngam Tau seems forgotten by city dwellers. A museum opened but closed quickly due to lack of visitors. Nantou doesn’t appear on many maps. Few Shenzhen residents know it exists. You could walk past the walled entrance without noticing it.
Nantou’s South Gate is near Shennan Avenue and Nanxin Road. You enter through an old stone-walled tunnel. Then, everything becomes chaotic. Ancient Chinese cities weren’t built for cars. You are immediately surrounded by street vendors and pedestrians. There are shop fronts and restaurants. All manner of Chinese life bustles here.
Though busy, it’s a pleasant change from Shenzhen’s typical chaos. The trinkets are the same as elsewhere. But it feels more authentic here in Ngam Tau. There are no brand name shops. The restaurants are tiny and family-owned. Though near Coastal City, foreigners receive comical stares.
The city is small. You can walk its circumference in twenty minutes. It’s a perfect place to remember you’re in China. People talk about old and new China. In Ngam Tau, you can feel it. Ancient walls stand near kids playing with Power Ranger toys. Classical Chinese architecture is next to teens in Kobe Bryant vests.
Ngam Tau was founded in 331. It was the administrative center of the Dongguan Prefecture. This area included present-day Hong Kong. In 1394, a defensive wall was built around the town. It was meant to ward off Japanese pirates. Ngam Tau’s South Gate is one of the few remaining sections of that wall.
Passing through the gate is entering a different side of the city. It feels more authentic than the hastily built city around it. Traffic noise is replaced by the noise of street hawkers. People go about their daily business. A narrow street leads to an old stone yamen. Government officials gathered here to sign Hong Kong away to the British.
Ngam Tau played an important role. Yet, it feels like they don’t want to commemorate this history. Parts of the old town are being torn down. Plans to turn it into a museum failed. Nobody came to visit the restored buildings. More than 30,000 people are packed into half a square kilometer here. Most residents are migrants. They live in apartments built by Cantonese villagers. Many villagers became rich and moved to Hong Kong.
If you want to see China juxtaposed, Ngam Tau is the place. To get to Ngam Tau, take a taxi from Shenzhen University. Taoyuan or Da Xin are also close metro stations. Tell the driver to go to Nantou Ancient City. The journey should take no more than five minutes. There’s also a huge bus stop outside. It’s serviced by buses 42, 78, 201, 204 and 226.
Nantou’s history dates back to 331 CE. It was known as Dongguan. It was the capital of Dongguan Prefecture. This area covered present-day Dongguan and Shenzhen. It also included Hong Kong and Macau. In 736 CE, the city was fortified with imperial troops. It became known as Tunmen.
The current walled city was built in 1394. It was built when the Ming dynasty revived coastal defense. Nantou gradually lost its prestige. The administrative center moved to Shenzhen in 1953.
Nantou has an area of roughly 70,000m2. The town is an irregular quadrilateral. Eight of the nine streets in the town still exist.
The foundation of Nantou’s city walls were built using yellow sand. Defensive trenches existed around the city. Today, almost all the city walls are gone. Only a few sections to the north and the south gate remain.
Nantou has seen periods of heritage destruction. The first was during the Qing dynasty. The second was during the Japanese occupation. The third was after Shenzhen became a Special Economic Zone in 1980. At this time, large numbers of migrants settled in Nantou. A number of historic buildings were demolished. They made way for townhouses.
The Shenzhen government renamed the town Xin’an Ancient City. They built Nantou Ancient City Museum. There are still around 40 buildings dating back to the Qing dynasty. Nantou District was named after the town. There are currently more than 20,000 inhabitants living in Ngam Tau or Nantou. It is a place where history whispers amidst the rush of modern life. It’s a journey back in time.