Fengtai Hall

Fengtai Hall

Fengtai Hall is the ancestral home of the Lin family. It was built by the 16th-generation ancestor, Teshow Gong. According to family members and clan genealogies, Teshow Gong’s father, Fengyuan Gong, ran an inn in Jiangxi during his early years. Known for being honest and kind-hearted, he once hosted a group of bandits who had checked in carrying gold and silver. The outlaws were later captured by government troops, and Fengyuan Gong unexpectedly came into a large sum of money. He then used this fortune to build a house for his eldest son, Teshow, back at home; he also used part of it to secure an official position for his second son, Deshow, ensuring the family's prosperity for generations. Teshow Gong was known for his generosity and philanthropy, earning praise from his local community. In the seventh year of the Jiaqing reign during the Qing Dynasty (1803), he constructed Fengtai Hall.

The design and construction of the Hakka enclosed dragon house integrate science, practicality, and aesthetics, showcasing the outstanding talent and superior craftsmanship of the Hakka ancestors. Alongside the Beijing siheyuan (courtyard house), the cave dwellings of Shaanxi, the stilt-style houses of Guangxi, and the “one seal” style homes of Yunnan, the enclosed dragon house is recognized by Chinese and international architecture scholars as one of China’s five distinctive traditional residential architectures. "Fengtai Hall" carries on the traditional Hakka architectural art, adopting the most advanced central-beam and post-and-lintel techniques from central Han Chinese architecture. It was built on a sloping plot, covering nearly 30 to 40 acres, with the north-south meridian as its central axis. Entering through the main gate, there are four halls and three courtyards, with each of the east and west wing rooms consisting of four subsidiary rooms. At the back, three enclosing dragon wings connect with the wing rooms. In front of the main gate lies a flat courtyard, a crescent-shaped pond, and surrounding the pond is a ring of dry land. The overall layout echoes the contours of the house, forming a massive ellipse. During the 1994 World Hakka Conference held in Meizhou, “Fengtai Hall” was featured on the cover of the conference materials due to its unique, simple charm and majestic presence. An aerial photograph, offering a high vantage point and complete view, led one clan member to lament: “We’ve lived here for generations, yet never saw the full picture — what a pity.”

Fengtai Hall is very unpretentious, without excessive carvings or paintings, and was built using locally sourced clay bricks, reflecting a practical and down-to-earth style. Its vast area, along with the broad and lofty main hall along the central axis, also shows the builder’s grand vision. Aside from the main gate, there are eight other gates aligned in a row facing south between the wing rooms. Notably, there are two wing rooms on the east and two on the west standing opposite the main structure, serving as pigsties, woodsheds, and storage rooms, reflecting the Hakka people’s emphasis on cleanliness.

Fengtai Hall has a rich cultural atmosphere. The couplet on the main gate reads: “The green mountain showcases its elegant scenery, the winding stream embraces auspicious light.” The couplet in the upper hall was written by clan members during this year’s Spring Festival. The upper line reads: “We cheer for the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee, which brought happiness and prosperity to every household,” and the lower line reads: “We devoutly commemorate the 16th-generation ancestor Teshow Gong, who blessed our descendants with continuous progress and glory.” The content spans 200 years. In the side rooms of the front hall, each carved stone window frames a single character, together forming the couplet: “Prosperity for generations, striving for flourishing glory.”

With changes in lifestyle, the clan members who originally lived in Fengtai Hall have built homes nearby, making Fengtai Hall a place for ancestor worship and tracing their roots. As a result, the clan cherishes every brick and tile of Fengtai Hall, regularly maintaining and preserving it.