Meizhou Culture
Cultural Heritage
In January 1994, the State Council designated Meizhou (梅州市) as a National Historical and Cultural City. Meizhou serves as an important intersection of Central Plains culture and indigenous Southern culture, renowned for its unique Hakka (客家) culture. It is praised for having a "first-rate heritage" and was recognized by the State Council as a National Historical and Cultural City. Meizhou features distinct Hakka customs and culture, embodying both the ancient traditions of the Han Chinese from the Central Plains and the characteristics of the Hakka people.
Meizhou is home to various forms of Hakka architecture, including Weidong houses (围龙屋), Zuo Ma Lou (走马楼), Wufeng Tower (五凤楼), Tulou (土围楼), Si Jiao Lou (四角楼), Duo Gang Lou (多杠楼), as well as Sino-Western mixed-style arcade buildings, watchtowers, and fortresses. These structures reflect the architectural styles of Central Plains palatial, courtyard, and traditional designs, with the Weidong house being particularly distinctive.
Meizhou boasts a rich array of cultural heritage, including Meizhou Hakka mountain songs (梅州客家山歌), Guangdong Han opera (广东汉剧), Guangdong Han music (广东汉乐), Wuhua string puppet theater (五华提线木偶戏), lion dances (席狮舞), Pu Zhai fire dragon (埔寨火龙), Wuhua tea-picking opera (五华采茶戏), Meixian string puppet theater (梅县提线木偶戏), bamboo horse dance (竹马舞), cup flower dance (杯花舞), Xingning lantern customs (兴宁上灯习俗), Taoist dance (道士舞), flower ring dragon (花环龙), Hakka dragon lantern (客家龙灯), carp lanterns (鲤鱼灯), cymbal flower (铙钹花), bamboo board songs (竹板歌), Pu Zhai paper flowers (埔寨纸花), Wuhua stone carvings (五华石雕), Dapu blue-and-white porcelain (大埔青花瓷), Guangde ceramic firing techniques (光德陶瓷烧制技艺), Pingyuan wood carving skills (平远木雕技艺), Changle rice wine production techniques (长乐烧酒制作工艺), Mo Yan Zhang ink stick production techniques (墨烟张墨条制作技艺), Meizhou Hakka cuisine cooking skills (梅州市客家菜烹饪技艺), Hakka bamboo weaving (客家竹编), Hakka martial arts (客家武术), Hakka boxing (客家拳), Hakka zheng (客家筝), Hakka studies (客家学), Hakka nursery rhymes (客家童谣), and Hakka literature (客家文学), all of which have made significant contributions to the prosperity of Chinese culture.
Meizhou is recognized as home to seven provincial-level arts towns. Among these, three are designated as "Hometown of Chinese Folk Art," namely Meixian Hakka mountain song arts town (梅县客家山歌艺术之乡), Dapu flower ring dragon arts town (大埔花环龙艺术之乡), and Han music arts town (汉乐之乡). Additionally, there are Fengshun fire dragon arts town (丰顺火龙艺术之乡), Pingyuan boat lantern dance arts town (平远船灯舞艺术之乡), Wuhua bamboo horse arts town (五华竹马艺术之乡), puppet arts town (木偶之乡), Xingning cup flower dance arts town (兴宁杯花舞艺术之乡), printmaking arts town (版画之乡), lantern arts town (花灯之乡), "Hometown of Camellia Oil" (中国油茶之乡), and Fengshun "Hometown of Hot Springs" (丰顺温泉之乡).
Immigration Culture
Meizhou is one of the most representative settlements of Hakka people (客家人) worldwide. It is the last stop for Hakka migration southward and a major starting point for spreading across the seas. Along with areas like southern Jiangxi (赣南) and western Fujian (闽西), it is known as the Hakka base on the border of Fujian, Guangdong, and Jiangxi. Meizhou is a significant ancestral home and spiritual base for overseas Hakka communities, often referred to as the "Hometown of Hakka in the World." It is well-known for its overseas Chinese population, with many descendants spread across over 80 countries and regions. More than 5 million overseas Chinese from Meizhou are distributed globally, with over 2.5 million residing in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. Among Taiwan's 5 million Hakka, 1.8 million trace their roots back to Meizhou.
Meizhou is an important node on the Maritime Silk Road (海上丝绸之路). As of the end of 2019, more than 7 million overseas Chinese and compatriots from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan had roots in Meizhou, spread across over 80 countries and regions.
In 2013, UNESCO established China's only immigration memorial project—China (Meizhou) Immigration Memorial Square (中国（梅州）移民纪念广场)—in Songkou Town, Meixian District (梅县松口镇). The World Hakka Immigration Exhibition Hall also opened its doors. In 2016, the "International Cultural Exchange Base for Overseas Chinese" was established at the China Immigration Memorial Square in Songkou Town. In 2017, Songkou Ancient Town received recognition as one of Guangdong's "Top Ten Cultural Geographic Coordinates of the Maritime Silk Road," alongside units like Guangzhou's Thirteen Hongs and Huangpu Ancient Port. In April 2022, the "Cultural Research Center for Chinese Hometown (Meizhou)" organized by Jiaying University was officially approved.
Red Culture
Meizhou is a revolutionary base area. In 2013, the Central Party History Research Office confirmed that all of Meizhou was part of the original Central Soviet Area. Notable proletarian revolutionaries, including Zhou Enlai (周恩来), Zhu De (朱德), Chen Yi (陈毅), and Ye Jianying (叶剑英), conducted revolutionary activities on this red land. The August 1st Nanchang Uprising Army, as well as the Fourth Red Army, fought valiantly here. Key battles such as the Sanheba Campaign (三河坝战役), Tangkeng Campaign (汤坑战役), Meicheng Campaign (梅城战役), and the Songkou Victory (松口大捷) took place in this region. The Eastern River Revolutionary Base (东江革命根据地) and the Jiulongzhang Revolutionary Base (九龙嶂革命根据地) were established here, leading to the creation of the 11th Army of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, the Central Red Transport Line, the Anti-Japanese Jiangxi Column, and the Fujian-Guangdong-Jiangxi Border Column, among many revolutionary heroes.
Starting from October 1934, during the Long March (长征), some Meizhou natives participated in command at the headquarters of the Red Army, some took on vanguard roles, and others engaged in political propaganda, logistics, and medical support. They all made outstanding contributions to the success of the Long March.
In November 2021, the National Development and Reform Commission released the "14th Five-Year Special Region Revitalization and Development Plan," designating Meizhou as one of the 12 key revolutionary old districts in the country, and the only key revolutionary district city in Guangdong Province. The development goal is to position Meizhou as a regional center city in northern Guangdong and a comprehensive transportation hub,特色产业基地, and red tourism destination.
Meizhou possesses rich and comprehensive red revolutionary historical resources, being one of only seven cities in the country fully recognized as part of the original Central Soviet Area. The region boasts numerous historical red sites from its long revolutionary struggle and socialist construction. According to a census in 2019, the Guangdong Provincial Party History Research Office initially identified 509 sites listed in the Guangdong Provincial Revolutionary Site Directory, ranking Meizhou among the top cities.
On July 1, 2021, the results of the "Top Ten Red Scenery of Meizhou" evaluation were announced to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China.
Meizhou features numerous memorials, including the Ye Jianying Memorial Park (叶剑英纪念园), Sanheba Battle Memorial Park (三河坝战役纪念园), Fujian-Guangdong-Jiangxi Revolutionary History Museum (闽粤赣边区革命历史纪念馆), Central Soviet Area (Guangdong) History Museum (中央苏区（广东）历史博物馆), Central Soviet Area (Wuhua) History Museum (中央苏区（五华）历史博物馆), Wuhua Red Experience Hall (五华红色体验馆), Pingyuan Red Army Memorial Park (平远红军纪念园), Jiulongzhang Red Army Memorial Park (九龙嶂红军纪念园), Qingxi Transportation Station of the Central Red Transport Line (中央红色交通线青溪交通站), and several other sites dedicated to revolutionary history and memorials.
Longevity Culture
According to statistics from civil affairs departments, in 2018, Meizhou had a total of 439 centenarians. Huang Qimei (黄七妹), a 115-year-old woman from Wuhua County (五华县), is the oldest resident. Among the eight counties (cities and districts) of Meizhou, Jiaoling County (蕉岭县) is known as the "Hometown of Longevity" (长寿之乡), while Dapu County (大埔县), Fengshun County (丰顺县), and Meixian District (梅县区) are recognized as "Chinese Longevity Towns" (中国长寿镇).
As of 2020, Meizhou had 858 centenarians, with a rate of 15 per 100,000 residents over the age of 100. The health indicators of Meizhou's population are above the provincial average, and its overall health levels are comparable to those of middle-income countries. On December 25, 2020, Meizhou officially passed the final certification from the International Natural Medicine Association's World Longevity Town Scientific Certification Committee, becoming the second city in China to receive the title of "World Longevity Capital" after Nantong City (南通市) in Jiangsu Province (江苏省).
Dialects
Meizhou is densely populated by Hakka people, and the Hakka dialect is predominantly spoken there. Except for some residents in Fengshun County who speak Chaoshan dialect, most of the population uses the Hakka dialect, which is one of the eight major Chinese dialects, with the Meixian dialect (梅县话) being its representative.
In Fengshun County, located at the junction of Hakka and Chaoshan dialects, about 80% of the population speaks Hakka, while 20% speaks Chaoshan dialect. Additionally, there are several thousand residents in Huangjin Town (黄金镇) who speak Fulao dialect (福佬话) from Zhangzhou (漳州), Fujian, and a few hundred in Fengping Village (丰平村), Tanjiang Town (潭江镇), who can communicate in their ethnic language.
Religious Beliefs
According to the "Meizhou Religious Records" (梅州宗教志), Meizhou is a city with rich religious activity, encompassing Buddhism, Taoism, Catholicism, and Christianity. By 2019, there were 492 religious activity sites in the region, including the Cathedral of the Holy Family (圣家大教堂), Lingguang Temple (灵光寺), Qianfo Pagoda (千佛塔), Shenguang Temple (神光寺), Wanfu Temple (万福寺), Shilin Temple (石林寺), Ping'an Temple (平安寺), and Taiping Temple (太平寺). Among these, there are 320 Buddhist sites, 22 Taoist, 34 Catholic, and 116 Christian, accounting for one-sixth of the province and ranking first in Guangdong.
Meizhou has had 37 religious activity sites recognized as "Model Religious Activity Sites in Guangdong Province," and 147 sites rated as "Standard Sites" for creating harmonious temples and churches at the national level.
City Symbols
Landmarks
In 2017, Meizhou (梅州市) selected the "Top Ten Cultural Landmarks of the Hakka Capital." Notable landmarks include Renjing Lodge (人境庐), Meijiang Bridge (梅江桥), Yinna Mountain (阴那山), Ye Shuai's Former Residence (叶帅故居), Shengu Mountain (神光山), Cheng Min's Hometown (程旼故里), Qiu Fengjia's Former Residence (丘逢甲故居), the Scholar Archway of Father and Son (父子进士牌坊), Changle Academy (长乐学宫), and the Falling Han Ming Spring (落汉鸣泉).
City Tree
In January 2018, the "Osmanthus Tree" (桂花树) was selected as Meizhou's official city tree.
City Flower
Meizhou has been renowned for its "Plum Blossom" (梅花) since ancient times and is the only city in China named after the plum flower. The Southern Song Dynasty poet Yang Wanli (杨万里) famously wrote during his travels in Meizhou:
“一路谁栽十里梅，下临溪水恰齐开；此行便是无官事，只为梅花也合来。”
In 1993, plum blossom was officially designated as Meizhou's city flower. In 1994, at the World Hakka Affiliation Conference held in Meizhou, a proposal was passed to "build Meizhou into a hometown of plum blossoms." Scenic spots for enjoying plum blossoms include Plum Blossom Mountain (梅花山), Plum Blossom Garden (梅花园), Plum Blossom Island (梅花岛), and the Ten-Mile Plum Blossom Corridor (十里梅花长廊).
In 2008, the phrase "The fragrance of plum blossoms comes from the bitter cold" (梅花香自苦寒来) was established as the "Spirit of Meizhou," leading to the issuance of opinions on promoting and cultivating this spirit. In 2019, the plum blossom, symbolizing the cultural spirit of Meizhou, was officially designed as Meizhou's city logo. The approval by the Meizhou Municipal Committee and Government marked the city's introduction of its own "city card."
Historical and Cultural Relics
Meizhou has discovered 398 Neolithic cultural sites, 87 ancient kiln sites, 179 ancient tombs, and 206 ancient buildings, along with 140 modern revolutionary historical relics. As of 2022, Meizhou has 544 cultural relic protection units at various levels. Among these, key national protected sites include Ye Jianying's Former Residence (叶剑英故居), Qiu Fengjia's Former Residence (丘逢甲故居), the Scholar Archway of Father and Son (父子进士牌坊), Renjing Lodge (人境庐), and the residences of Ronglu (荣禄第) and Xie Jinyuan (谢晋元), among others.
Meizhou has 509 sites listed in the Guangdong Provincial Red Revolutionary Site Directory. The region is rich with ancient residential buildings, academies, temples, pagodas, archways, ancestral halls, and ancient paths. Significant sites include the Changle Terrace site from the Western Han Dynasty (西汉长乐台遗址), the Meixi and Changtian Neolithic tool workshop sites, the Qianfo Iron Pagoda from the Southern Han Dynasty (南汉千佛铁塔), the ancient Lingguang Temple (灵光寺) from the Tang Dynasty, the Eight-Legged Bi Yong Inkstone (唐八足辟雍砚), and the Ming Dynasty Scholar Archway (明代父子进士牌坊), all regarded as national cultural treasures. The excavated ancient kiln sites mainly include the Water Wheel Kiln (水车窑), Meixian Yaoshang Kiln (梅县瑶上窑), Pingyuan Shizheng Kiln (平远石正窑), Dapu Yuli Kiln (大埔余里窑), Dapu Gaopei Kiln (大埔高陂窑), Longjing Pit Kiln (龙颈坑窑), and the Ming Dynasty Yetian Kiln site (明代叶田窑址).
