Taian Square Tower

Taian Square Tower

Introduction: The Taian Tower is located in Longgang Village, Huliao Town, Dabu County. It was built in the 28th year of the Qianlong reign during the Qing Dynasty (1763). The structure is square-shaped, built with brick, stone, and wood. It has a width of 52 meters, a depth of 49 meters, covering a land area of 2,577 square meters and a building area of 5,136 square meters. The tower has three floors and is 11 meters high, comprising a total of 200 rooms. Because the outer walls of the tower are made of stone, it is commonly known as the Stone Tower.

The architectural style of the Taian Tower is unique, its scale grand, design ingenious, layout rational, functions comprehensive, and cultural connotation rich. From the outside, it is hard to believe that this is a residential building—the extremely enclosed exterior resembles an impregnable fortress. The towering Taian Tower gives a first impression of rock-like stability, simplicity, and ruggedness. Stepping inside the Taian Tower, the horizontal plaque inscribed with “Ancestral Merits and Virtues,” centered around the ancestral hall, reflects reverence for ancestors and the Hakka people’s attachment to tradition. It showcases the unique lifestyle of the Hakka people, who have lived together harmoniously across generations. This large-family residence embodies the clan consciousness of the Hakka, and the inward-facing layout of the Taian Tower strengthens internal family cohesion.

A common drawback of typical square towers is that the rooms at the four corners are dimly lit, poorly ventilated, and located close to wooden staircases, resulting in significant noise interference. The Taian Tower’s architectural design completely overcomes these shortcomings. Unlike conventional square towers, it features a dedicated outer circular defensive corridor on the third floor, with spacious and bright stairwell entrances at the four corners. Climbing to the third-floor outer corridor and looking out the windows, one can enjoy a panoramic view of the scenery in front of the tower. The Hakka ancestors came from the Central Plains—a region of flourishing Chinese civilization and rich humanistic traditions—and had a relatively high level of cultural attainment. Therefore, the Hakka people regarded the cultural education of their descendants as a major priority for the entire clan. The study rooms on both sides of the Taian Tower (divided into literary and martial studies) show how much emphasis the tower’s owners placed on education.

The simple yet majestic Taian Tower shines with the extraordinary wisdom and boundless creativity of the Hakka people. It is an iconic “symbol” of the distinctive Hakka culture and a cultural treasure in the architectural history of China and the world. According to research, Hakka square towers are older than round towers. Upon the suggestion of experts from the National Cultural Heritage Administration, the tower has now been listed as a representative work of Hakka enclosed towers and included in the project for application as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site.

Meizhou City, Guangdong Province

Huliao Town: A town under the jurisdiction of Dabu County. It is the seat of the county government and a well-known hometown of overseas Chinese. According to cultural relics research, the center of the town was originally a lake. In ancient times, some people built huts by the lake for living, hence the name Huliao (which also means “equal treatment,” reflecting the harmonious coexistence between local indigenous people and outsiders, also called “Tongren”). Both the Yizhao and Wanchuan counties had their administrative centers in Huliao Village (now Gucheng Village). Before the Qing Dynasty, it was called Tongren She; during the Republic of China period, it was established as Tongren District. In 1949, Huliao District was set up, later changed to township and commune. In the spring of 1961, when the county seat was moved back to Huliao from Chayang, it remained Huliao Commune. In 1983, Huliao District and Huliao Town were separated; in 1986, the district was merged into the town. It is located in the central part of the county... More details about Huliao Town++