Hakka Weiwu, a potential world cultural heritage

By By Diao Shujun ( chinadaily.com.cn )

Updated: 2012-08-03

Weiwu buildings, a living structure unique to Hakka people in south Jiangxi Province, is potential candidate for world cultural heritage.

The weiwus in Ganzhou City may have met the UNESCO application requirements, said experts of cultural relics.

As an early settlement in Hakka migration, Ganzhou is one of the birthplaces of Hakka culture. Crowned as an "Oriental Roman Castle", weiwu buildings date back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties and are an important symbol of Hakka culture.

Ganzhou has attached great importance to the protection of weiwu structures in recent years, putting every protected weiwu on file. Longnan County has appropriated special funds to renovate 20 of the most characteristic weiwu. 　 The city started the preparatory work of applying for recognition as a world culture heritage last year. Longnan County has drafted a plan for the application and is currently developing weiwu tourism projects.

A Weiwu is a large multi-family communal living structure. Its external wall is constructed as the load bearing wall for each room and also the defending wall for the entire structure. There are currently over 600 Hakka weiwu in south Jiangxi Province, 376 of which are in Longnan County.