The value, conservation and utilisation of the ancient post road in southern Guangdong

They evolved over time to become roads used for trade and commerce purposes, a place where the north and south and the east and the west converged, and were instrumental in ethnic migration and cultural integration. The ancient post roads connected the sea ports and transformed the region from a remote area into a place of strategic significance at the national level. The construction of post roads was a powerful state intervention, and they evolved alongside civilisation itself.
Many ancient roads have been preserved in southern Guangdong, with land-based routes and waterways running side by side and official and civilian routes existing in parallel. But following the development of our modern transportation system, the once glorious and accessible ancient roads with their noisy traffic have gradually been covered, removed and forgotten in the deep mountains and wild hills. The beauty of the mountains and the wilderness is gradually withering away.

1. What are the ancient post roads of southern Guangdong ?

The Nanyue Ancient Post Roads are officially defined as the routes used to transport documents, materials and people in Guangdong Province prior to 1913. These included waterways and land-based routes, as well as official and ancient roads, which were important channels of economic exchange and cultural dissemination. In fact, the concept of the Southern Guangdong Post Road, as historical and cultural heritage sites that need to be protected, has been expanded since it was first created.
First of all, conservation and utilisation efforts do not seek to distinguish between post roads, official routes and civilian roads. The ancient road network is very complex and its functions have evolved in the course of history, and the ancient post roads that can be found all over southern Guangdong are regarded as objects of protection. These include important cultural heritage sites such as the Meiguan Ancient Road and the Xijing Ancient Road, as well as a large number of lesser known ancient country roads, including mountain, water and land-based routes, not to mention the numerous post stations, teahouses, wharves, bridges, passes and guardhouses dotted along them.

Take the Qi’ao Ancient Road as an example. It has been an important link between Macao and Zhongshan since the middle of the Ming dynasty, and is also a key component of the Maritime Silk Road, which was built by the people on their own initiative for trade and commerce purposes. During the rule of Emperor Kangxi during the Qing dynasty, the central government opened up trade between the mainland and Macao, and according to Li Shizhen's ‘Guide to Guangdong Province’ (‘Governance Policies on Guangdong’), “the people of Macao and the merchants of the mainland each carried their goods along the dry road to the border crossing and traded with each other”. Only then did the Qi’ao Ancient Road become an official road shared by the state and the people under the leadership of the government, and it was transformed from a civilian road into an official one.

2. The value and heritage of the ancient post roads in southern Guangdong

The history of the ancient post roads in southern Guangdong reflects the formation of a unique regional culture and the evolution of local knowledge in Lingnan, which laid the foundation for a national identity. Their value in terms of heritage is reflected in two main aspects.
Firstly, Guangdong is located on China’s southern border, with the Nanling Mountains to the north and the South China Sea to the south. Geographically speaking, it is relatively independent and isolated. The ancient roads scattered throughout Guangdong province are the legacy of the dynasties in the Central Plains, crossing the Nanling Mountains, overcoming geographical challenges for migration and development and overseeing political and economic exchanges. They are also a powerful tool for controlling borders and maintaining national unity.
Secondly, the roads are not only an important route for the movement of people, goods and the exchange of information between various regions in Guangdong Province, and for maintaining close political, economic and cultural ties. They also extend in two directions. They cross the Nanling Mountains and connect the Yangtze River Valley and the Central Plains to the north, and then link to the entire northern region via the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. They also travel southward and out towards the sea, as well as along the Maritime Silk Road, allowing for continuous cultural exchange and communication with other countries and civilisations in Southeast Asia, South Asia, West Asia and North Africa.
The ancient post roads are a network of pearls weaving through time and connecting nearly a thousand heritage sites all over the Lingnan Mountains area. These sites can be divided into four categories.
The first category is made up of the historical routes and transport sites, including the ancient post roads and their related facilities, such as tea pavilions, post stations and passages. As the Chinese saying goes, ‘open a road on every mountain and build a bridge over every body of water’. The water network created by the Pearl River and the Han River in Lingnan formed an important basis for the ancient post road network in southern Guangdong. A large number of piers and bridges are still preserved in Lingnan to this day. In ancient times people would say, “A short pavilion is five miles, a long pavilion is ten miles”. If we compare the ancient post roads in southern Guangdong to ancient expressways, the post stations can be considered the service areas on these routes, providing places to rest and to stock up on supplies to the travellers moving from the south to the north, and maintaining movement along the ancient roads.

In the second category, historical sites in urban areas and villages reflect the relationship between settlements and ancient post roads. Many traditional villages once prospered thanks to these roads, which brought people and resources to the villages, and, in turn, the villages provided supplies and support for the roads. However, they later went into decline as the roads began to be used less for transport purposes. This is why it is also important to protect the old towns and villages that flourished as a result of the roads, as well as the associated township rules and regulations, customs and festivals, traditional crafts, legends and stories. It has been established that traditional and low-income villages in Guangdong Province are closely connected to ancient post roads. Some families moved southward along the roads 800 years ago and eventually came to settle in the village of Shuidong in Yunfu by the river to form a thriving community. Unfortunately, when the modern transportation system emerged, these villages and towns fell into poverty. Zhuji Ancient Lane in Nanxiong was originally a post station that grew to become a commercial town. Groups from the Central Plains migrating southwards would stop here to rest before continuing on to the Pearl River Delta and overseas. This history draws in Cantonese people from China and abroad, who come to Zhuji Ancient Lane to find their roots.
The third category is made up of historical sites related to commodity production and trade, reflecting the important economic role that the ancient post roads in southern Guangdong played in regional exchange. One example is the ancient kiln sites for firing ceramics at Bijiashan, with many located in places that are easily accessible, as the finished ceramics needed to be transported by water and were thus closely linked to old waterways.

Multi-cultural historical sites account for the fourth category. These highlight the cultural significance of the ancient post roads of southern Guangdong in regional exchange. Examples include churches and temples, which oversaw the interlacing of cultures and the spread of values on the roads and form part of the historical legacy. It was not just goods that were exchanged on the roads. More importantly, different value systems came into contact with them. A large number of notable figures in modern Chinese history emerged along the Zhuhai Qi’ao Ancient Road. It also represented a journey that the nation could embark on to see the world.

3. Preservation and utilisation of the ancient post roads in southern Guangdong – the linking of multiple sectors and exchange across all levels of society

The ancient post roads once promoted the integration of the north and the south, and now the protection and utilisation of these roads represents people coming together.
In 2016, Guangdong province launched its efforts to conserve and utilise the ancient post roads of southern Guangdong. So far, 233 of these roads with a total length of more than 900 kilometres have been discovered and there are certainly more to come. Based on the network created by the roads, the conservation group has taken a variety of measures to strengthen cooperation in sports, culture, tourism and agriculture, and explored many useful and creative ways to conserve and utilise the roads.
The conservation efforts are not just a heritage conservation project, they also unite many of the province’s strengths. Before the relevant plans were outlined, volunteers from the Three Masters Association, including planners, architects and engineers, took on the ancient post road project, applying their professional expertise to support its protection, restoration and utilisation. Later, policies and funds were put in place and different sectors such as housing and construction, sports, culture, cultural relics, tourism and agriculture started working together, each playing to their strengths to invest in conservation and utilisation efforts. In doing so, the principles of government advocacy, professional volunteering, selfless cooperation, resource sharing between sectors and public involvement were fully embodied.
In late 2017, the ‘Master Plan for the Protection and Utilisation of Ancient Post Road Routes in Guangdong Province’ was released. It outlined a plan for a cultural route, which attaches importance to overall protection, systematically addresses the historical importance and cultural significance of ancient post roads in southern Guangdong based on the ruins of more than two hundred ancient post roads scattered throughout the province, and set out a comprehensive scheme to protect and utilise them. Following that, the ‘Guidelines for the Protection and Restoration of Ancient Post Roads in Guangdong Province’ and the ‘Technical Specifications for the Planning and Construction of the Ancient Post Roads Signage System in Guangdong Province’ were introduced in quick succession. The construction of the demonstration section of the ancient post roads in Guangdong province sets a precedent for similar work in the entire province.
This work mainly entails the restoration of the route itself and the relics situated along it, construction of the connection routes and the positioning of signage. In addition to traditional authenticity and integrity, several additional principles have been outlined, including safety, environmental protection and sustainability. This will ensure that these roads remain authentic, whilst minimising safety hazards and protecting the environment surrounding the roads.

4. Supporting villages and Guangdong with roads

The ancient post roads are like blood vessels connecting the traditional culture of various cities and villages in Guangdong province. While the work to conserve and revitalise the ancient post roads in southern Guangdong is centred around preservation efforts, the main focus is on the villages and people along the roads. A variety of activities have been organised to promote the ancient post roads in the south of the province, such as sports events, themed cultural tours, the Southern Guangdong Ancient Post Road Cultural and Creative Competition and a series of routes for touring the post roads. Not only do these improve the image of these roads, they also strengthen the identity of local people and promote their cultural influence. Furthermore, the activities bring tourists and consumers to the areas along road routes, helping to market and enhance the value of local resources and services. New life has been breathed into old villages that lay dormant for many years.
For example, an old house by the ancient post road in Xiajie village, Zengcheng district in Guangzhou has been turned into a creative centre of national standing, which has made it possible for many agricultural products to be marketed more widely and effectively.
Lanzhai village, Yunan county in Yunfu city, has revived long-neglected traditional crafts and opened up B&Bs, which have contributed to its economic growth.
On National Day, there are 11 ancient village tour routes that are popular in rural tourism.
By bringing together multiple forces, the work to conserve and utilise the ancient post roads in southern Guangdong goes beyond static and isolated preservation efforts and instead represents an unprecedented level of engagement. All these activities along the roads have been pivotal in the exchange and integration of cultures throughout Guangdong Province, supporting villages and the province with roads.

5. Summary

The sustainable development work on the ancient post roads in southern Guangdong is still ongoing. Firstly, it is important to raise awareness of this work so that themed routes can be discovered and key projects promoted. Secondly, the narrative surrounding these roads must be considered in an international context. In fact, cultural routes have long been an essential category in world heritage sites and are well established in Europe, as are the historical and cultural trails and heritage sites in the USA. These international examples act as key references for the conservation and revitalisation efforts along the ancient post roads in southern Guangdong. Finally, it is crucial to optimise theories in practice. In conserving the roads, practice should be prioritised above theory, thus taking a different approach than other cultural routes in China such as the Silk Road and the Roads to Shu. We are currently in an important phase of advancing the theories surrounding the ancient post roads in southern Guangdong.