Longxu District 龙圩区

Setting and landscape

Most of the district is low mountain and hill country at 400 to 600 metres, rising from north to south. Spurs of the Yunkai Mountains (云开大山) reach Dajinchu Peak (大金初顶, 763 metres) in Guangping town (广平镇). Two rivers drain into the Xun: the Xiaxiao River (下小河) flows 76 kilometres from Guangping through Dapo town (大坡镇) and Canghai Lake (苍海湖), and the Shangxiao River (上小河) flows 53 kilometres through Xindi town (新地镇).

History

In 280 Nongcheng County (农城县) was created with its seat at today's Longxu town. In 597 the Sui chancellor Yu Qingze (虞庆则) stationed troops here, giving it the name Rongcheng (戎城, "military town"); after the county was merged into Cangwu in 1071 the town became Rongxu (戎圩). As a hub for merchants and goods it came first in the saying "first Rong, second Wu, third Jiangkou" and the name "Guangxi's water gateway". The town was renamed Longxu in July 1951 and served as the seat of Cangwu County from 1952; the State Council approved Longxu District on 8 February 2013.

What to see

Li Jishen's Former Residence (李济深故居), in Potou village (坡头村) of Dapo town, is a brick-and-timber manor of 1925 with three halls in line and two courtyards, 53 halls and rooms, gun towers and loopholes, mixing Chinese and Western decoration. Li donated it to the state in 1950; it has been a national protected site since 1996 and holds exhibits on his life.

Canghai National Wetland Park (苍海国家湿地公园) grew out of a 2009 flood-control scheme on low ground where the Xiaxiao River meets the Xi; the district government records 66 resident bird species. The Changzhou Lock scenic area (长洲船闸景区) has a viewing deck on the 15th floor of the lock control centre overlooking the Changzhou hydro project, where four ship locks were built side by side.

Food and local traditions

Deer opera (鹿儿戏), listed as autonomous-region intangible heritage in 2010, grew from Spring Festival dances, house to house, with a bamboo deer covered in oiled paper or cloth; "deer" (lu) sounds like the word for good fortune. Longxu roast pork belly (龙圩烧腩), a local form of Cantonese roast meat with crisp skin, appears at weddings and Qingming offerings. Local foods also include jizai biscuits (鸡仔饼), lard cakes (猪油饼), Longxu roast duck (龙圩烧鸭), Hebu white-cut duck (河步白斩鸭), Gufeng lychees (古凤荔枝) and Xindi shatang mandarins (新地沙糖桔).

Highlights

• Li Jishen's Former Residence 李济深故居: Fortified 1925 manor in Dapo town, a national protected site since 1996.
• Canghai National Wetland Park 苍海国家湿地公园: Wetland around Canghai Lake where the Xiaxiao River meets the Xi, with 66 resident bird species recorded.
• Changzhou Lock scenic area 长洲船闸景区: Viewing deck over four ship locks built side by side on the river.
• Deer opera 鹿儿戏: Folk opera that grew from Spring Festival deer dances, autonomous-region intangible heritage since 2010.
• Longxu roast pork belly 龙圩烧腩: Crisp-skinned roast pork belly served at weddings and Qingming offerings.