Dating back to the Ming dynasty, Shenzhen was named after a deep drain. What about this Stone Chamber before you? Sadly available information does not tell us much about this Stone Chamber. But Shenzhen itself has an incredible story.
Let’s talk about Shenzhen. It borders Hong Kong. It sits on the east bank of the Pearl River estuary. Shenzhen is a special economic zone.
This city transformed from Bao’an County. The transformation happened because of Deng Xiaoping’s economic reforms. Shenzhen became China’s first special economic zone. Foreign investment poured in. People sought opportunity. The city became a hub for technology and trade.
Shenzhen is home to the Shenzhen Stock Exchange. It is one of the largest exchanges in the world. The Globalization and World Cities Research Network calls it an Alpha city. Shenzhen’s economy is larger than Guangzhou and Hong Kong. It is among the top ten economies in the world.
It is a leading global technology hub. Some call Shenzhen China’s Silicon Valley. The city fosters innovation and competition. Many small manufacturers and software companies thrive here. Giants like Huawei, Tencent, and DJI call Shenzhen home.
Shenzhen hosts many national and international events. A large portion of Shenzhen’s population are migrants. The population skews younger than most places in China.
The oldest evidence of humans in Shenzhen dates back 6700 years. Throughout history historic counties were established. Nantou and Dapeng are historic towns. They were built over 600 years ago. The Hakka people also have a long history here.
Emperor Qin Shi Huang unified China. The area became part of the Nanhai Commandery. Later the Dongguan Commandery was established.
During the Song Dynasty Nantou became a trade hub. It was important for salt and spices. Pearls were produced here during the Yuan dynasty. Ming sailors prayed at a Mazu temple in Chiwan. They prayed for safe travels to Southeast Asia.
The Qing dynasty resettled coastal residents inland. This action was to prevent rebellion. Bao’an County lost territory. The United Kingdom defeated the Qing dynasty. Hong Kong Island and Kowloon Peninsula were ceded to the British.
Xin’an residents rebelled against the Qing administration. The Kowloon–Canton Railway opened. The last stop was Shenzhen railway station. This boosted the town’s economy. Xin’an County became Bao’an County.
The All-China Federation of Trade Unions set up a reception station here. This was for strike workers from Hong Kong. Chen Jitang established casinos in Shenzhen. Shumchun Casino was the largest.
During World War II Japan occupied Shenzhen. The Bao’an County government moved. The British detonated the Lo Wu Bridge. This stopped the Japanese from entering Hong Kong.
In 1953 the Bao’an County government moved to Shenzhen. Shenzhen was closer to the railway and had a larger economy. Refugees poured in. They were escaping upheavals in mainland China.
In 1979 Bao’an County became Shenzhen. Shekou Industrial Zone was established. The zone would lead domestic and overseas operations.
In 1980 Shenzhen became the first Special Economic Zone in China. Deng Xiaoping promoted this. It aimed to practice market capitalism with Chinese characteristics.
So here we are at this Stone Chamber. Hopefully new stories about this site emerge and we will be able to share them.