Dadong Ancient Village

Dadong Ancient Village

In history, Dadong Village was known as Shànqìng Lóu (善庆楼), initially built in the 5th year of the Hongzhi era during the Ming Dynasty (1492 AD). It now has a population of over 2,000, all surnamed Lin. The architectural style of Dadong Village features the unique "Five Horses Dragging a Carriage" formation, which embodies Confucian cultural significance. It is aligned along the central meridian line and was constructed in the 21st year of the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty (1594 AD) by the seventh-generation ancestor, Scholar Kěshèng Gōng. It took nine years to complete. The wife of the eighth-generation ancestor, Jinshi Lín Chéngxiáng—Madam Wáng (the daughter of the then-serving Prime Minister surnamed Wang, referred to as the “Capital Madam”)—and their son Lín Chángchūn further refined the structure. It has stood for over 400 years. Dadong Village is located to the west of Lufeng City, 10 kilometers from the city center, adjacent to the location of the Tánxī Town government. Its coordinates are 116°06′ east longitude and 22°45′ north latitude, at an elevation of about 90 meters. National Highway 324 and the Shenshan Expressway run behind the village. The village faces south and backs north.

The main structures of Dadong Village form an enclosed complex. Before entering the main gate, there is a front hall connected to a courtyard. On either side of the courtyard are two alleyways leading straight inside. Passing through the front courtyard from the main gate leads to the second section, which serves as a reception hall. Beyond the reception hall and another courtyard lies the third section—the ancestral worship hall called “Jīndé Táng” (襟德堂). Behind Jīndé Táng is a two-story building, with a courtyard in front that connects to four alleyways. The back of the building leans against a mountain. The buildings within the alleys are standardized residences, comprising 70 houses with 119 entrances. The entire village is interconnected on all sides, with sections echoing one another. The layout is symmetrical, centered around a core, with left-right balance and overall harmony—embodying the principle of moderation. The entire architectural complex resembles five horses pulling a grand carriage, hence the name. Paired with the three open terraces and semi-circular pond in front of the village, it forms a design of “round mountains, round water, square buildings,” blending the square and the round harmoniously to create a magnificent sight.

The village sits against a mountain ridge, with distant views of Fǎliú Shān (法留山); it faces expansive fertile plains and is oriented toward Dàdé Lǐng (大德岭), making it a feng shui treasure land long praised by many. The main “Five Horses Dragging a Carriage” structure covers an area of 3,100 square meters, with 2,550 square meters of open space in front, a 1,413-square-meter pond, totaling 7,063 square meters—over two-thirds of Dadong Village’s current area. Though the buildings are ancient and show signs of wear in many places, they remain largely intact. Seven buildings were constructed using a rammed earth technique with creek sand, red clay, glutinous rice, and brown sugar, and their walls remain solid to this day. The upper part of the main gate is equipped with a spiral drainage outlet designed for firefighting. Dadong Village has done well in environmental protection, safety, and fire prevention, with no recorded incidents of fire, flood, or theft throughout its history. The village has long been known as a place of literary culture, placing great emphasis on etiquette, education, and strategic knowledge in both civil and military domains.

During the imperial examinations of the Ming and Qing dynasties, the people of Dadong excelled: The sixth-generation ancestor, Shìqīn Gōng, was a Zēngguǎng Shēngyuán (增广生员, equivalent to a scholar or “xiucai”) in the early Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty. In 1618 (at age 81), he compiled the Tánchōng Zúpǔ (潭涌族谱, the Tanchong Genealogy). His eldest son, Kěshèng Gōng (also known as Màotíng and Sōngfāng), achieved the title of Jǔrén (举人, provincial-level degree) in the 19th year of Wanli (1592). Kěshèng Gōng’s eldest son, Chéngzhēn Gōng, earned the title of Gòngshì (贡士) in the 27th year of Wanli (1589), while his second son, Chéngxiáng Gōng, became a Jǔrén in the 7th year of Tianqi (1628) and later a Jìnshì (进士, top imperial scholar) in the 11th year of Chongzhen (1635). He served as the Jiānjūn Dào (监军道, an official dispatched by the imperial court to supervise troops) in Yunnan Province, where he eventually died in service. During the Jiaqing era of the Qing Dynasty, when Dadong’s population was just over 200, scholars such as Lín Zhùsān (a Jǔrén in the 18th year of Jiaqing) and others from the same village achieved outstanding results known as “one top scholar, two tribute students, and eighteen xiucai,” earning fame across Lufeng and Haifeng, celebrated to this day. The Lufeng County Annals (1745 edition) document the commendable deeds of Lín Kěshèng, Lín Chéngzhēn, Lín Chéngxiáng, his wife Madam Wáng, their son Chángchūn (a Gòngshì in 1680), and others. The former Lufeng Historical Chronicles also record the virtuous acts of Lín Chéngzhēn and his son, who “banned grain sales to relieve famine” during the late Ming famines, and how the Capital Madam initiated water conservancy projects, reconstructed the ancestral hall of the first-generation ancestor, and purchased land rents to support education. In front of the “Five Horses Dragging a Carriage” structure in Dadong Village once stood numerous flagpole stands—a testament to scholarly honor.

Today, the people of Dadong Village continue to value education and scholarship. Many work in fields such as culture, education, medicine, and science. Currently, over 30% of Dadong villagers have relocated to Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Huizhou, and Zhuhai. The ancestral teachings, etiquette, generosity, and folk cultural activities passed down from previous generations remain widely known, inspiring descendants to contribute to national prosperity and social harmony.

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