Lin Heung Tea House

Lin Heung Tea House

Lin Heung Tea House is a protected cultural heritage site of Guangzhou.

Located at No. 67, Dihai Road, Xiguan, Guangzhou, Lin Heung Tea House is a century-old time-honored brand known as the “No. 1 Lotus Paste Maker.” Its high-quality lotus paste products are sold across the north and south of China and exported worldwide. The tea house also offers distinctive tea meals and banquet services. In addition to its flagship store in Guangzhou, it has branches and affiliated shops in Hong Kong and the province. Over the past century, the business has “undergone four transformations and revived four times,” constantly adapting to the demands of the times through ongoing reforms, carving out a unique place in Guangzhou’s food and beverage industry.

Originally, the “Lian” (莲) in “Lin Heung” (莲香) did not have the grass radical and was written as “Lian” (连), meaning “Connected Fragrance.” It was established during the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty. Due to its proximity to Lian Deng Lane, it was thus named. At that time, “Lian Xiang” was essentially a “pastry and cake shop,” specializing in wedding candies, ceremonial cakes, and banquet catering. Though modest in scale, its lotus seed paste–filled pastries had already gained a good reputation. The business was managed by Chen Weiqing, who made the products himself and sold them directly, keeping operations limited.

In the second year of the Xuantong reign (1910), Chen Weiqing withdrew from the business and handed it over to nine new proprietors—Tan Xinyi, Ou Hanbo, Chen Esheng, Yan Yizhuang, Tan Qingbo, Chen Zhenfu, Zhao Jintang, Yang Dianfen, and Chen Yiqin—under the company name “He Xing Tang.” They raised capital by recruiting 122 shareholders, with each share valued at 30 taels of silver, totaling 414 shares and an equity capital of 12,420 taels of silver. They then purchased a plot of land measuring 355 square meters at the current address, expanded the building, and grew the business into a sizable and distinctive teahouse. The three large Chinese characters “莲香楼” (Lin Heung Tea House) were handwritten by Chen Ruyue, a Hanlin academician of the late Qing Dynasty. After tasting the lotus paste pastries, Academician Chen suggested changing the character “连” (Lian) to “莲” (Lotus) and personally wrote the three characters “莲香楼,” which are still hung above the entrance today as the signboard to attract customers.

Starting from the 1950s, Lin Heung’s food products, especially its mooncakes, began to be exported to Southeast Asia. In 1990, Lin Heung’s pure lotus paste and date paste fillings were exported overseas to the United States and Germany, setting a precedent for the export of lotus paste fillings. Today, Lin Heung mooncakes have developed into more than 50 varieties and have won national awards such as the National Quality Product Award and the China Famous Mooncake Award, earning the title “No. 1 Lotus Paste Maker.” In addition, its “Wife Cake” and “Chicken Biscuit” have been awarded the title of “China’s Famous Snacks” in the first national competition. Since 1984, Lin Heung Tea House has pioneered the “24-hour all-weather tour group reception” service in Guangzhou’s tourism and catering industry, earning the reputation of being the “Home of Tour Groups.” In 1998, it became one of the first national-level restaurants in China. Today, Lin Heung Tea House has evolved into a chain enterprise integrating catering, pastry production, trade, and lotus paste manufacturing.

The architectural design of Lin Heung Tea House is classic, elegant, and poetic. The central façade rises three stories high and features Roman columns. Under the arcade, signs such as “Mid-Autumn Mooncakes” and “Dragon-Phoenix Ceremonial Cakes” hang. All decorative elements are made of teak wood, aiming for a luxurious and splendid effect. The pastry display cabinets are quaint in style, showcasing various kinds of pastries and dragon-phoenix ceremonial cakes. On top of the cabinet are large tin containers storing various famous teas to attract customers. The hall design is also unique, with booth seating and private rooms on the second and third floors. The surroundings feature Manchurian-style glass windows engraved with poems and paintings for guests to enjoy. The kitchen is also ingeniously designed, located between the second and third floors for quick service.

In December 2000, it was announced by the Guangzhou Municipal People’s Government as one of the first batch of “Time-Honored Brands.” In September 2002, it was listed as a Registered Cultural Heritage Site of Guangzhou. In August 2015, it was designated as a Protected Cultural Heritage Site of Guangzhou.

Further Reading:

· Eighth Batch of Protected Cultural Heritage Sites of Guangzhou