The profound history and modern outlook of Doumen Town has placed it high on the listing of Top 100 Chinese Characteristic Small Towns 2020 by Brand Marketing, according to the National Urban Brand Assessment Project Team and China City News in Beijing.

Doumen is 15th in a ranking of 403 Characteristic Small Towns across the country. The honor was announced April 26 based on data from the National Bureau of Statistics and the Institute of Sina WRD Big Data covering the year up to April 16. 

With a history of more than a hundred centuries, the area of Doumen Town in northwest Doumen District is a renowned as a habitat of the imperial descendants of the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279) and, in more-current years, a hometown of overseas Chinese. 

Gateway to the well-preserved Qing Dynasty village manor of Jiexiazhuang [Photo courtesy Guanhai App]

Jiexia Manor and Lvyi Ancestral Hall stand among many historic sites in the community. Town history is also replete with the intangible cultural heritages of Sacrificial Rites of Imperial Family, Gong & Drum Cabinet Parade, Dachikan Open Flame Roast Pork & Spareribs, and Cooking Vegetable Tea on the 13th Lunar New Year Evening.

Doumen has been chosen for distinction as a Famous Historical & Cultural Town in China, second-batch China Characteristic Small Town, Guangdong Provincial Civilized Town, Guangdong Ecological Town, and Demonstration Town of Guangdong Urban-Rural Integration.

Nanmen Village within the town was designated as one of the Top 10 Beautiful Villages in China and a National Civilized Village, and Paishan as was named a Guangdong Ancient Village. Doumen Old Street was cited as a Historical & Cultural Street in China by the then Ministry of Culture & National Cultural Heritage Administration.

Undergoing rural rejuvenation, town living conditions have greatly improved due to upgraded sewage treatment, toilet installations and renovation, environmental cleanup, dilapidated and illegal building demolition, garbage management, and a clampdown on livestock and poultry farm pollution.

Today, Doumen Town thrives on household appliances, new energy, and new materials as characterized industries in the Longshan Industrial Section as well as leading enterprises such as Zhuhai Gree Daikin Device and Mektec Manufacturing. In 2019, the high-profile performance entertainment project, Songcheng Performance Valley, was built at the foot of Huangyang Mt for as a stellar tourism draw.