Baihou Ancient Town
百侯
“Hometown of the Hanlin Academicians” in Dabu. Dozens of Hakka residences, ancestral halls, and academies from the Ming and Qing dynasties to the Republic period stand in a cluster. It is not commercialized.
Baihou Town lies in eastern Dabu County. It is known as the “Hometown of the Hanlin Academicians” because of its long succession of successful imperial examination candidates, including several Hanlin scholars and jinshi degree holders. It is a National Famous Historic and Cultural Town. The old town preserves dozens of Hakka houses and ancestral halls, such as the Zhaoqing Hall and the Tongyi Dafu Residence. The buildings combine Hakka and Chaozhou styles, with ceramic inlays on the roof ridges and stone and wood carvings on the gates. Many buildings are still lived in. The old town is also the starting point for rural tourism in Dabu, and the nearby Meitan River has beautiful scenery. There are few visitors, so it is good for a slow half-day stroll. Most buildings are free to visit, though some require villagers to open the doors. Getting there: about 30 minutes by car from the Dabu county seat. Public transport runs infrequently. Local specialties include Dabu abacus-bead snacks, bamboo shoot cakes (sunban), and Baihou thin pancakes.
Opening hours
Open all day (mansion hours vary)
Nearby sights
- Tai'an Lou
- Pingshan Terraced Fields
- Huae Lou
- Former Residence of Zhang Bishi (Guangludi)
- Sanheba Battle Memorial Park
- Chayang Ancient Town
- Qiaoxi Ancient Village
- Lingguang Temple & Mount Yinna