Plan at a glance
Location, entrance and tickets
Tai'an Building is in Longgang Village, Huliu Town, Dapu County, Meizhou. The usual entrance is the main gate. An adult ticket costs around CNY 40; visitors over 60, students and some other groups usually pay around CNY 20, while children under 1.2 metres and adults over 70 are usually free. Advance reservation is generally unnecessary; buy or scan on site.
The site generally opens from 08:30 to 18:00, with last entry at 17:30. Holiday visits are easier to manage outside peak periods. The car park is usually free and the building can be paired with nearby West Lake Park, Baihou Ancient Town and other Dapu sites.
Suggested time and visit scope
Allow 1.5–2 hours for the stone building exterior, folk display, courtyard corridors and third-floor views. With the Lan Ancestral Hall, former study site, Longevity Well and West Lake Park, allow 2.5–3 hours. Residents still use parts of the building, so the visit is different from a standard museum.
Tickets and visit details
View visit options for this attraction and confirm the visit date and current arrangements before you go.
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Stone construction and the “house inside a building” layout
Tai'an Building is built mainly from stone, with heavy walls and a square, inner-courtyard layout that differs from the more common rammed-earth round houses. A courtyard house sits along the central axis, while the three-storey outer building surrounds it; rooms and corridors together create the “house inside a building” arrangement.
Use the outer walls, entrance pond and inner courtyard to understand the structure. The passages and lighting can be complex, so families and older visitors should move slowly and not rush to the top floor.
Gate, ancestral hall and corridor light
The building has one main iron-clad gate integrated into the wall. The Lan Ancestral Hall, former study site and Longevity Well add information about family history, education and daily life. The second- and third-floor wooden corridors are useful for observing the courtyard and the building's proportions.
Around 15:00–17:00 the light is often softer for corridor and courtyard photos, but residents still use parts of the building. Stay away from residential areas and private rooms and avoid equipment that disturbs residents.
Who it suits
Tai'an suits visitors interested in Hakka buildings, local history, architectural photography and family study trips, as well as self-drivers looking for a clearly structured heritage stop. Visitors expecting a commercial attraction should keep expectations modest and focus on the building and its living context.
Build your day
A 1.5–2-hour architecture route
Start at the entrance pond and main gate, visit the Hakka folk display on the first floor, then follow the stairs to the second-floor courtyard corridor and, if open, the third-floor corridor. Looking at the whole square structure before the interior details makes the route easier to understand.
The stairs, wooden corridors and stone paving may be slippery. Older adults and children should use the handrails and move slowly. Some inner rooms are still residential and are not open exhibition rooms.
A 2.5–3-hour cultural route
Start with the ancestral hall and its family plaques, then continue to the former study site, Longevity Well, second-floor display and third-floor corridor. After leaving, walk in West Lake Park. Whether nearby creative spaces are open depends on the day.
Ride-hailing cars are limited in Dapu County. If you also plan Baihou Ancient Town or Hualou Building, arrange the vehicle before arriving rather than assuming a car will be available between the buildings.
Get there
Driving and county transport
Drive to “Tai'an Building Car Park.” The journey takes around 3–4 hours from the Pearl River Delta and about one hour from Meizhou city; the car park is usually free. From Meizhou West Railway Station, take a taxi to Dapu County, then continue from Dapu Bus Station by ride-hailing car or on foot, but local ride-hailing supply is limited, so arrange a driver in advance.
Tai'an Building is next to West Lake Park, so the two can be linked on foot after parking. Baihou Ancient Town and Hualou Building are farther away and require a car or pre-arranged charter.
Know before you go
Residents and visitor conduct
Some descendants of the Lan family still live inside Tai'an Building. Keep quiet, do not enter private rooms and do not spend a long time photographing residents' doorways. Public display areas, corridors and living spaces are not the same thing.
The building has stone paving, wooden stairs and dimmer corridors. Wear flat shoes with good grip. Trees and courtyards can also mean more insects in summer, so bring repellent if needed without blocking the narrow passages.
Light, tickets and nearby food
Midday light can be harsh on the stone exterior, while 15:00–17:00 is often better for the corridors and courtyard. Ticket prices, opening time and holiday limits follow the on-site notice. Hakka noodles, bamboo-shoot rice cakes and preserved-vegetable pork can be arranged in Dapu County or near West Lake Park.