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Photo: Mx. Granger, CC0 via Wikimedia Commons
Half of Shenzhen City was originally of Hakka ethnicity. This came about after the 17th-century Kangxi Emperor depopulated the coastline to a depth of 30 km as part of his campaign against Ming loyalists in Taiwan. When the coast was repopulated, the Hakka (descendants of 13th-century immigrants from north China) were quickest to come. Relations between the Hakka and the Cantonese were often strained. During the 19th century, half a million people lost their lives in civil strife between the Hakka and the Cantonese. Accordingly, most Hakka settlements of any size were heavily fortified. The most common form of fortification in southern China is the "wei" (围 wéi) and one of the biggest of them anywhere is the Crane Lake Wei in Longgang. It doubles as a semi-open-air museum of Hakka culture, which is very quiet without too many visitors, maybe because it's located way out in Shenzhen's suburbs.
The Longgang Museum of Hakka Culture is located in the Longgang District of Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province, China. It contains a group of Hakka-style buildings originally built by Hakka people from Xingning.
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深圳中医药博物馆, 龙岗区中医药博物馆 Longgang District Museum of Traditional Chinese Medicine
龙岗高尔夫
This course was the brainchild of a former official of the Shenzhen Government who wanted to bring golf to the masses. It is as an eighteen-hole 72 par course, situated on rolling hills in the Longgang District. The founders of the course wanted to keep green fees at 20-30% of commercial golf courses.
大万世居 Dàwànshìjū
Another well-preserved and enormous Hakka wei. It is of a similar scale to the Crane Lake wei, but pretty run down and without as many informative signs. Still, an interesting look at traditional Hakka life in what is now Shenzhen.
东江纵队纪念馆, East River Column Memorial Museum
A museum devoted to telling the story of the Dongjiang Column, a column of Guangdong-based Communist guerrila fighters who fought the Japanese in World War Two. All information is in Chinese only.
深圳自然博物馆
Officially opened in July 2026, this is now the largest natural history museum in the South China region.
和畅园博物馆
A private art museum specialising in paintings, calligraphy and ceramics.