A Hidden Gem on the Chaoshan Route: Stumble into Shantou's "Little Forbidden City"

If you're traveling from Chaozhou to Shantou, don't miss the former Meigu Village. In particular, check out the Chen Cihong Former Residence, known as the "Number One Overseas Chinese Mansion in Lingnan." 👨🏻Chen Cihong, the richest overseas Chinese in Thailand and a rice tycoon, began construction on his residence in the second year of the Xuantong Emperor's reign in the Qing Dynasty. Built by him and his family in their hometown, it is a large-scale residential complex. Today, it is a century-old mansion that combines tourism, sightseeing, and research.🏤 During my visit, I was most impressed by the Baroque dome grafted onto the Chaoshan Si Dian Jin house! 216 rooms and 70,000 square meters are full of interesting details: Roman columns supporting Chaozhou wood carvings, glazed tiles shipped from Vietnam, and even toilets from Britain a century ago.🚽 It's incredibly luxurious❗ That's why the residence is also known as the "Little Forbidden City" of Chaoshan. Every day, the former residence also features wonderful intangible cultural heritage folk performances of Yingge Dance. The energetic leaps and bounds of the 107 performers reminded me of Su Hu's song, "Great hero, with a painted face like a god, Buddha on the left, immortals on the right, Yingge Dance starts, ghosts and demons flee." (See the scenic spot activity schedule for performance details.) 📸Photo Spots 1. Overhead shot of the porcelain tile staircase 2. Continuous shots of Yingge Dance 3. Chaoshan embroidery window frames 🎫Tickets: 58 🚘Transportation Depart from Chaozhou → Taxi → Shantou Qianmei Village (most recommended)