Cihong Former Residence

Chaozhou and Shantou Top 12 Things to Do ## Cihong Former Residence: Exploring the “Little Forbidden City” of Chaoshan Cihong Former Residence (more precisely Chen Cihong’s Former Residence) is one of the most impressive historic mansions in eastern Guangdong, and a key stop if you’re interested in Chaoshan culture, overseas Chinese history, or traditional Lingnan architecture. China Travel Rather than a single house, you’re visiting a self-contained residential compound on the edge of Qianmei Village in Longdu Town, Chenghai District, part of Shantou city on Guangdong’s eastern coast. > Location note: Some English databases mis-label the city as Ganzhou (Jiangxi). The residence is not in Ganzhou; it is in Shantou’s Chenghai District in Guangdong, matching the coordinates 23.561812, 116.745535 provided in your data. --- ## Where exactly is Cihong Former Residence? - Address: Qianmei Village, Longdu Town, Chenghai District, Shantou, Guangdong Province, China. Highspeed - Setting: Rural village environment between Shantou and Chaozhou, in the Han River delta region sometimes referred to collectively as Chaoshan. Qianmei itself is an old overseas-Chinese village dating back to the late Yuan period and historically home to many emigrants who made fortunes in Southeast Asia. That history is important context: Cihong Former Residence is essentially the architectural statement of one of those families at peak prosperity. Chinese and local tourism authorities describe the mansion as: - A key protected cultural relic of Guangdong Province. - A flagship site in an Overseas Chinese Culture tourist area, sometimes promoted as “the first overseas Chinese residence in Lingnan” and “Little Forbidden City of Chaoshan.” These titles are marketing language, but their use by government and tourism bodies is well documented. --- ## Who was Chen Cihong? To understand the residence, you need Chen Cihong’s story: - Chen Cihong was a Chaoshan merchant who made his fortune in the rice trade, expanding from Hong Kong to Thailand and creating a multinational network in the late Qing era. - A local saying recorded in Guangdong media goes along the lines of “you can’t be richer than Chen Cihong,” reflecting how extreme his wealth appeared compared with ordinary villagers. With that fortune, the family invested heavily back into their home village, commissioning this enormous residence as both a private home and a visible symbol of success abroad. --- ## A multi-decade construction project Chinese tourism and guidebook sources agree on the broad picture, but not every date. That’s worth flagging: - Some sources say construction began in the 2nd year of the Guangxu reign (1876) and continued for nearly half a century. China Travel - Others state it started in 1910 (Xuantong reign) and was still not finished when Japanese forces occupied Shantou in 1939. Singapore What’s consistent – and safe to treat as factual – is that: - The project spanned several decades and at least three generations of the family. - The residence covers about 25,400 m² of land (close to four football pitches), with a building area around 16,800 m² and 506 rooms distributed across multiple courtyards. China Travel Because of these dimensions and its maze-like layout, recent local media and travel writers still refer to it as a “Little Forbidden City”. --- ## Layout: four main courtyard clusters Most Chinese-language descriptions agree that Cihong Former Residence is organized into four main residential groups, each with its own courtyards, halls and side rooms: China Travel 1. Langzhongdi - Built to honor Chen Cihong’s father, who held the official title Langzhong. - Roughly 126 rooms and 32 halls, arranged in a layout described locally as “four horses pulling a carriage”: a main central hall with wings extending like shafts and traces of a carriage’s outline. China Guide 2. Shoukangli - Traditionally associated with elder care and comfort – the name combines characters for “longevity” and “well-being”. - Tourist descriptions highlight colorful glass embedded in windows and doors, which catch the sun and create a slightly Westernized look inside an otherwise traditional Chaoshan plan. China Guide 3. Shanjutang / Shanjushi (“Shan Ju Room”) - The largest and most elaborate section, often singled out as the best-preserved courtyard. - One recent overview notes this cluster alone covers more than 6,800 m² and contains over 200 rooms. Singapore 4. Sanlushuzhai / Sanlu Study - A slightly more compact two-storey building, sometimes nicknamed “Niangzi’s House” or “Xiaojie’s House”, indicating it was associated with women of the household. China Guide Between these clusters are pavilions, verandas, covered bridges and rooftop walkways, producing the “labyrinth” feel that many recent visitors mention. China Guide --- ## Architecture: Chaoshan traditions with Western flourishes Cihong Former Residence is often cited as a textbook example of overseas-Chinese residential architecture in Lingnan because it fuses: - Traditional Chaoshan / Lingnan elements - Wooden and stone carvings featuring auspicious motifs. - Decorative plaster reliefs, ceramic inlays and cut-porcelain work on gables and roof ridges. - Patio-style courtyards providing light and ventilation. - Western influences introduced by overseas wealth - Imported ceramic tiles, including patterned floor tiles seen in multiple rooms. China Guide - Arched doorways, balconies and balustrades that echo European styles of the early 20th century. Highspeed - Colored glass panes in doors and windows, especially in Shoukangli. China Guide Local and provincial authorities describe the mansion as the “first overseas Chinese residence in Lingnan” and a representative example of modern residential architecture in the Chaoshan region. --- ## What you actually see on a visit Based on recent guidebook descriptions, photo essays and official tourism text, visitors can expect: China Guide - A large entrance courtyard with ponds and a broad paved forecourt leading to the main halls. - Sparse but atmospheric interiors where the focus is on structure and decoration rather than heavy furnishing. - Repeating courtyards and corridors that lead you deeper into the complex, often with narrow transitional spaces that suddenly open into larger yards. - Rooftop corridors and terraces giving wide views over Qianmei village and the surrounding flat countryside. - Embedded museums of Chaoshan folk culture, including: - Chaozhou/Chaoshan Opera displays - A puppet hall - Gongfu tea exhibits - Snack and “old kitchen” spaces highlighting regional food traditions (these are described in detail by TravelChinaGuide’s attraction write-up). China Guide Researchers who have studied the site also note that: - The residence remains collectively owned by more than 50 branches of Chen Cihong’s descendants, which shapes how it’s curated and used today. That co-ownership has been central to ongoing debates about how far to turn the compound into a museum versus leaving parts of it in semi-private use – an important nuance if you’re comparing it with fully nationalized heritage sites elsewhere in China. --- ## Heritage status and funding A few points that are consistently documented: - Cihong Former Residence is listed as a provincial cultural-relic protection unit in Guangdong and promoted as a key attraction in Chenghai District’s tourism portfolio. - It forms the centerpiece of a broader Overseas Chinese Culture Tourist Area around Qianmei Ancient Village. - Part of the conservation funding has reportedly come from Hong Kong businessman Li Ka-shing, who was born in the Shantou area and has financed a variety of local projects, including Shantou University. --- ## Getting there and practical details (with data caveats) ### Reaching Cihong Former Residence Multiple independent sources agree on a few practical access options from Shantou city: China Guide - City bus 103 - Runs from central Shantou (People’s Square / Shantou Railway Station) towards Chenghai. - Guides published over several years describe taking bus 103 and then walking around 10–15 minutes from the main road into Qianmei village to reach the ticket office. - Other public bus routes - Some tourism sites list an additional Chenghai No. 8 bus stopping near the residence. China Travel - From high-speed rail - A Shantou attraction guide associated with the high-speed rail operator suggests a combination of Bus 102K + 208 from Shantou HSR Station, alighting at Qianmei and walking a short distance. Highspeed Because bus networks can change, especially with new rail infrastructure, it’s wise to confirm route numbers and stop names once you’re on the ground or via an up-to-date Chinese map app. ### Opening hours and ticket prices Here the data is clearly time-sensitive and somewhat inconsistent, so it’s important to flag that: - A detailed English guide last updated in August 2025 lists opening hours of roughly 08:30–17:30. China Guide - Ticket prices in different reputable travel sites range from around CNY 12 in older listings up to CNY 60 in newer user-generated travel notes, with intermediate figures (CNY 35–40) in between. China Travel Taken together, this strongly suggests that prices have increased over time and may do so again, and that some English-language pages are out of date. For current admission and any discounts, the safest approach is to: - Check a recent Chinese-language listing or the latest user photos/screenshots on major Chinese travel platforms just before your visit. - Confirm at your hotel or via a local travel agency in Shantou. Given those variations, it’s more accurate not to state a single “current” ticket price in a factual guide. ### Accessibility notes