Baihao Famous Town Tourist Area

Baihao Famous Town Tourist Area

The Baihao Famous Town Tourist Area is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

The Baihao Famous Town Tourist Area is located in Hounan and Houbei villages of Baihao Town — Meizhou City’s first “China Historical and Cultural Famous Town.” Covering an area of approximately 3 square kilometers, the area features well-preserved ancient Hakka buildings from the historic town and presents a living picture of the continuous life in a culturally rich Hakka settlement. The scenic area is divided into five themed zones: “Impressions of Baihao,” “Scholarly Lineage,” “Charm of Ancient Alleys,” “Dreams of the Old Market,” and “Houbei Homes.” It is a comprehensive Hakka cultural tourism destination integrating ancient town sightseeing, historical exploration, cultural leisure, educational entertainment, and folk experience.

【Tongyi Dafu Mansion】

Tongyi Dafu Mansion, a provincial-level cultural relics protection unit, is located in Hounan Village, Baihao Town. Built in the 38th year of the Qianlong reign during the Qing Dynasty (1773) by Yang Zuoxu, then serving as the Judicial Commissioner of Shaanxi, the mansion faces south and features a flush-gable roof with brick-and-wood structure. It has three courtyards and four wing rooms, with a total width of 64.4 meters and depth of 55.2 meters, covering an area of about 3,500 square meters. The mansion has 70 rooms, 9 halls, and 18 courtyards. Its beams and brackets are carved with various floral patterns, showcasing exquisite craftsmanship.

【Zhaoqing Hall】

Zhaoqing Hall, a provincial-level cultural relics protection unit, is situated at Louxia in Hounan Village, Baihao Town. Built in the 6th year of the Republic of China (1917), it is a building that blends Chinese and Western architectural styles. The main Chinese section faces west, features a flush-gable roof, and has a brick-and-wood structure with a post-and-lintel framework. It consists of two courtyards and two wing rooms, covering an area of about 3,200 square meters. The interior beams, brackets, and screens are intricately designed and painted with landscapes, flowers, birds, and figures, while carvings include dragons, lions, and tigers. The main gate and central hall roof ridges are adorned with carvings of various flowers, birds, auspicious beasts, fish, and shrimp, all vivid and lifelike. The auxiliary buildings feature Western-style design, face south, and have rich exterior plaster reliefs depicting animals and flowers, with a particularly striking circular clock sculpture on the rooftop. It is not only a masterpiece of Hakka residential architecture but also a three-dimensional painted screen of folk carving art.

【Lianrui Liuxin】

Lianrui Liuxin, a provincial-level cultural relics protection unit, is located in Hounan Village, Baihao Town. Originally built in the 19th year of the Jiaqing reign during the Qing Dynasty (1814), this grand structure is commonly known as “Nine Halls and Eighteen Courtyards.” It faces north, has three courtyards, two wing rooms, and one enclosed tower, using a brick-and-wood structure, and includes 68 rooms. With a total width of 37 meters and depth of 59 meters, it covers an area of about 2,300 square meters. The main gate features a stone door frame and a dragon boat-style roof ridge, with the inscription “Lianrui Liuxin” on the lintel. The central section has three bays, separated by courtyards, with a post-and-lintel framework supported by lion pedestals and melon-shaped blocks. The horse-riding style brackets connect the sections, with corridors between them. The entire building enjoys excellent ventilation and lighting, with a rational layout. Wooden components such as beams, brackets, and supports are colorfully carved with figures, flowers, birds, and auspicious plants, displaying exquisite craftsmanship and vibrant colors.

【Zhongyi Dafu Mansion】

Zhongyi Dafu Mansion, a provincial-level cultural relics protection unit, is located in Hounan Village, Baihao Town, and was originally built during the Qing Dynasty. Facing southwest, it has two courtyards and two wing rooms with a palatial layout, covering an area of about 1,500 square meters. The main facade gate is inscribed with the bold characters “Zhongyi Dafu Mansion.” The central hall displays a plaque reading “Huaidetang.” The front eave corridor uses a four-beam coffered ceiling with wooden carved brackets and a post-and-lintel structure. The colorful wood carvings of column capitals, brackets, and screens are luxurious and exquisitely crafted. The entire building is ingeniously designed and well laid out.

【Shengcao Xiaozhu】

Shengcao Xiaozhu, a municipal-level cultural relics protection unit, is located in Houbei Village, Baihao Town. Built during the Republic of China period by overseas Chinese businessman Xiao Shengcao from Singapore, it faces south and has three courtyards and two wing rooms, covering an area of 1,596 square meters. The structure consists of a central hall and symmetrically arranged west-wing rooms, forming a neat, square layout with 18 small courtyards, following the “Nine Halls and Eighteen Courtyards” pattern. Above the main gate is a relief inscription of “Shengcao Xiaozhu” by Shang Yanzhao (from Panyu, Guangdong, who was the “Zhuangyuan” — top scholar — in the last imperial examination of 1904; after the founding of the PRC, he held positions such as CPPCC committee member of Jiangsu and Guangdong and deputy director of the Guangdong Provincial Research Institute of Culture and History). Another plaque reads “Xiyanyongcui.” The upper hall bears an inscription by Lin Sen (from Minhou, Fujian, who served as president of the National Government and chairman of the Senate of the Republic of China) reading “Guchangtang,” making it a unique “house with two famous inscriptions.”

【Taishi Mansion】

Taishi Mansion, a county-level cultural relics protection unit, is located in Hounan Village, Baihao Town, and faces north. Built in the 14th year of the Qianlong reign during the Qing Dynasty (1749) by Yang Fushi, one of the “One Family, Three Hanlin Scholars,” it has a brick-and-wood structure, three courtyards, two wing rooms, nine halls, and eighteen courtyards, covering an area of about 4,000 square meters. It follows a post-and-lintel framework. The main gate has a stone frame with the inscription “Taishi Mansion.” The upper hall displays a golden plaque reading “Ligengtang.” To the right of the upper hall hangs a rubbing of an imperial edict. To the left of the mansion is a study called “Xieyingzhai.” This grand building is a typical example of a palatial-style enclosed Hakka house.

【Haiyuan Tower】

Haiyuan Tower, a county-level cultural relics protection unit, is located in Hounan Village, Baihao Town. Built in the 6th year of the Republic of China (1917) by Yang Chaorong, who profited from trade between his hometown and Malaysia, it was once dubbed the “post office” connecting the hometown to Nanyang (Southeast Asia). It was renovated in 1991. Facing southwest, this is a classic Sino-Western fusion building with a Western exterior and Chinese interior. The rectangular structure has three stories, with spacious corridors at the front and back, columns in both square and round shapes, and a reinforced concrete hybrid structure. The main gate has a Western style, while the roof retains traditional architectural features. The second and third floors are decorated with exquisite plaster reliefs and paintings.

【Guanxi Shizhu】

Guanxi Shizhu, a county-level cultural relics protection unit, is located in Hounan Village, Baihao Town. Built in the 32nd year of the Kangxi reign during the Qing Dynasty (1693) by Yang Qiong, it is also known as “Zhihuai Hall.” The building is shaped like a “snail” and faces south, featuring a flush-gable roof and a brick-and-wood structure. It has three courtyards, two wing rooms, two auxiliary wings, and one rear tower, totaling 124 rooms. With a total width of 70.01 meters and depth of 81.75 meters, it covers an area of about 4,500 square meters. The entire structure is built with blue bricks. The three courtyards are separated by courtyards paved with cobblestones. The golden pillars are wood above and stone below, while the corridor column bases come in square, drum, and octagonal shapes, carved with auspicious animals such as qilins, lions, cranes, and deer, as well as flowers like plum, orchid, chrysanthemum, and bamboo, and hidden immortals motifs.

In addition to the above, Baihao also boasts many other picturesque and distinctive ancient residences waiting for you to explore, such as Qinanxuan, Nanlu Ancestral Hall, Yuanyang Ancestral Hall, Quheng, Tongyi Mansion, Taishi Mansion, Waishi Mansion, Zhou Sima Mansion, Baoding Tower, Yuan Yin Dexing, Suqian Ancestral Hall, and more.

Baihao Town: Located in the eastern part of Dabu County, Baihao Town borders Huliao Town to the west, Fenglang to the east, Yanshang to the north, and Pingyuan Town to the south. It is 11 kilometers from the county seat and enjoys convenient transportation, with Provincial Highway Chashang passing through. The town covers a total area of 94.2 square kilometers, including 7,071.2 hectares of mountainous land and 942.2 hectares of arable land. It governs 16 administrative villages, 285 villager groups, and a population of over 31,000. In 2003, the town’s total rural economic income was 212.4 million yuan, with a per capita income of 3,379 yuan.

Baihao Town is known for its simple folk customs and beautiful scenery. It is a place with a long history... More details about Baihao Town++