Calyx Building, A Timeless Hakka Earth Building

Dadong Town, Dapu County, Meizhou City, Guangdong Province

It represents the Hakka culture of Meizhou

3.9

Introduction

The Huaye Building, located in Lianfeng Village, Dadong Town, Dapu County, Guangdong Province, was built in 1608 and has a history of nearly 400 years. It is a provincial-level cultural relic protection unit. The circular wooden structure covers an area of 2300 square meters, with a building area of 2286 square meters, and a total of 210 rooms distributed in three concentric circles, with 30 rooms in the inner circle, 60 rooms in the middle circle, and 120 rooms in the outer circle. The walls are made of rammed earth and the first floor has no windows, while the second and third floors have triangular gunholes with small ones on the inside and large ones on the outside. The gate is made of thick and wide granite slabs and the door panels are nailed with sturdy iron sheets for protection. Inside the building, there is a circular courtyard covering an area of 283.4 square meters, with pebbles arranged in patterns of different sizes, and a 3-meter-diameter ancient coin pattern in the center, symbolizing people's wish for prosperity. The overall layout of the building is reasonable, well ventilated, and well lit, with warmth in winter and coolness in summer. More than ten Lin families still live in the building. According to local legend, the building was built by the fifth generation ancestor, Yuan Yugong, with the help of Guanyin. The Huaye Building's exquisite design and unique structure demonstrate the Hakka people's concept of unity, equality, and fairness, making it one of the largest, most exquisitely designed, and best-preserved ancient buildings among the earth buildings in Guangdong. The building has been featured in many media reports, and efforts are underway to prepare relevant materials to apply for UNESCO World Heritage status. There is also a Tang Dynasty building named Huaye Building, located on the west side of the imperial palace, named for its inscription "Hua'er Xianghui Zhi Lou" and frequently mentioned in Tang Dynasty poetry and prose.

Address

Dadong Town, Dapu County, Meizhou City, Guangdong Province

Opening hours

08:00-18:59 (all day)
Last admission time: 18:00 (Monday-Sunday, January 1st-December 31st)

Transportation

There are three ways to get to Meizhou: railway, aviation, and highway. Meizhou Airport and Meizhou Railway Station are both located in Sanjiao Town, Meijiang District, Meizhou City. Lianfeng Village in Dadong Town, Dapu County is 45 kilometers away from the county seat, and the transportation is not very convenient. The mountain road leading to the village is slightly winding, with a good road surface but steep gradients, narrow roads, and many bends. Driving or chartering a car is recommended.