Luodai Ancient Town

Last Update: 2011-1-3 2:09:00; By joyce   

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Edition HistoryEdit Introduction:

Luodai Ancient Town
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Luodai Ancient Town, located in eastern Chengdu , is the largest  Hakka community  in southwest China.  Hakka is one  ethnic groups in China.  Most of them reside in Guangdong(Canton), Jiangxi and Hubei provinces. There are 20,000 Hakka people in Luodai, comprising about 90% of the town’s total population of 23,000.

Luodai Ancient Town is close to modern city of Chengdu, which makes it unique among all the Hakka communities in China. The Hakka residential areas in Fujian , Guangxi , Guangdong, Jiangxi and Taiwan are mostly far away from metropolises.

The history of Luodai Ancient Town can date back to Han Dynasty when it was called "Wanjing Street". Thousands of years' history and multicultural exchange have assimilated diverse culture, variious historical sites and Hakka architecture in this small town.

There is a interesting story related to the Name" Luodai' of the town.  A belt of Emperor Liu Chan, the last emperor of Shu Kingdom in the Three Kingdoms period, had once fallen into a octagonal well here about 1,500 years ago. As “fell” in mandarin is "Luo", and  "belt"  is "Dai", the place was thus given the name "Luodai".

The houses, courtyards and streets in Luodai are all  in the ancient style of Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) or the Republic period (1912-1949). The Guangdong Guildhall is the landmark of Luodai Ancient Town. Originally named Nanhua Palace, it is the masterpiece among Hakka architecture as well as the best preserved and the biggest guildhalls in China. It was built during the reign of Emperor Qinglong in Qing Dynasty (1746) and consists of three halls, with a total are of 3044.75 square meters. It is the place where the Hakka people gather, meet relatives and friends, settle disputes and make sacrifices to ancestors and gods. Several other guildhalls, such as those of Huguang, Jiangxi and Chuanbei, also remain in good shape.

There are one 1,000-meter-long main street and seven alleys in the ancient town. The dwelling houses along the main street are all  enclosed courtyards with an open area in the middle and a main building decorated with carvings of turtle and flower. The roofs of the houses are all covered with cogon and small black tiles.

The annual Fire Dragon Festival is really grand in Luodai.  There is a great ceremony and many activities, including greeting the dragon, worshipping the ancestors, taking the dragon home and painting the dragon's eyes.

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Edition HistoryEditLocation:

 Longquanyi District, 20 kilometers away from Chengdu City

Edition HistoryEditTicket Price:

free

Edition HistoryEdit Opening Time:

all day

Edition HistoryEdit How to get there:

Take No.2 bus from the bus station at the north of the train station and then transfer to No.219 bus at Wuguiqiao bus station to Luodai.

Edition HistoryEdit Tips:

The best season to visit Luodai Ancien Town is summer because there are some festivals and activities held there during summer, providing a ideal place to spend the hot summer. Besides, in summer, there are also a variety of fruits, such as pears, grapes, loquats and peaches.

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"Historical town"

Georgia Denton said at 2010-11-14 17:40:00

Rating: Excellent

Luodai is a historical and cultural ancient town with rich Hakka culture. What impressed me most is the bean jelly (local people call it Liangfen), made with many methods and can be consumed with some other ingredients.

My Ratings:

  • Accessibility: Good
  • Natural Scenery: Good
  • Culture: Good
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"Ancient town with Hakka people"

Kathy L said at 2010-11-14 17:18:00

Rating: Good

It is an ancient town, and the residents are mostly Hakka people. The town is well preserved, and there are lots of local food and snacks. I went there with a bunch of friends during the National Holiday in October, and the town was very lively and bustling.

My Ratings:

  • Accessibility: Good
  • Natural Scenery: Good
  • Culture: Good
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