Luodai Old Town
Luodai 洛带 (Hakka Guildhalls and Teahouses 客家会馆与茶馆)
Luodai Hakka Guildhalls and Teahouses. The ancient town of Luodai near the teeming Sichuan capital of Chengdu is a curious place. When one thinks of the Hakka people (Kejia in Chinese, or ‘guests’, also known as China’s gypsies) the first thing that comes to mind are the amazing round or square earth buildings, the Tulou, of Fujian and Jiangxi. Other Hakka claims to fame are the Taiping rebellion, or the Hokien cuisine, which is found in many South East Asian countries.
What doesn’t normally spring to mind is an impressive collection of Hakka guildhalls in a far- off small town in Sichuan! But that is exactly what Luodai is all about and why I had always wanted to go there.
The Hakka, originally from Hubei Province, suffered discrimination and persecution, and were forced to disperse; Continue reading “Luodai Hakka Guildhalls and Teahouses”