Qing Bell Tower

Qing Bell Tower

Qing Bell Tower is located in Feiyan Natural Village, Xidong Village Committee, Dongkeng Town, Luhe County, Shanwei City, Guangdong Province. It was constructed starting in 1797 by Peng Jiancai, the 22nd-generation ancestor of the local Peng clan. As one of the typical residences of the Hakka people in Luhe County, it has a total width of 39.2 meters, a total depth of 29.4 meters, and covers an area of 1,152.5 square meters. The overall design of the Qing Bell Tower resembles a traditional grain hulling machine used by the Hakka people, known as a “long.” In the center is a layout referred to as “five up, five down,” akin to the core of the long, surrounded by 26 rooms and a perimeter wall that encloses the entire “five up, five down” structure like the outer shell of the long, forming a unified whole. Hence, locals call it the “Long Coat House.”

The hall of the Qing Bell Tower features exquisitely carved beams and painted rafters. The wooden lattice windows above the side hall doorways and the plaque inscribed with “Si Yuan Tang” showcase exceptional craftsmanship. The roof ridges of the gate tower are adorned with majestic ceramic lions, and the high-upturned “swallowtail” eaves reflect the outstanding architectural skills of the ancestors.