Early Summer Flavors at Chengdelou, Meizhou
In April 2024, the familiar, gentle warmth of early summer settled over Meizhou, Guangdong. My visit to Chengdelou offered a deep dive into the rich history and authentic flavors of Hakka culture.
A Testament to Hakka Architecture
The building itself immediately captured my attention. The structure is a silent testament to the region's long-standing architecture, featuring a wooden floor and a grand entrance. A balcony with a wooden railing and a blue window suggested countless stories held within its walls. The exterior showed the passage of time—a blue wall with peeling paint and a worn wooden fence under the bright sun. The intense sunlight created dramatic contrasts, especially highlighting the main entrance and the large door and window in the backyard of the Chengdelou building. Even small details, like a bunch of bamboo reaching skyward from a building corner, added to the charm.
Echoes of Daily Life
The courtyard was filled with artifacts of traditional life. A stone grinding machine with a wooden handle sat as a relic of daily preparation. Near a small building, an aisle ended with a lone potted tree, and a simple plant rested on a wooden chair. A more unusual sight—a bunch of fishing net hanging on a clothesline—seemed perfectly integrated into the old-world setting. Inside, culture was on display: an old two-door cabinet was adorned with traditional Chinese paintings, and another painting depicted two birds in flight.
The Authentic Hakka Culinary Experience
The culinary journey inside Chengdelou was a vibrant exploration of Hakka cuisine. The meal began with a refreshing fern salad and a bird-nest bowl of hand-shredded salt-baked chicken. The regional specialties followed, including the comforting depth of Hakka stuffed tofu and savory Hakka dumplings, traditionally presented in a bamboo steamer.
Chengdelou is more than a place to eat; it is a memorable snapshot of Hakka life in Meizhou, where generational cooking and traditional architecture harmoniously converged on a pleasant day.
Gears & Settings | Figures |
Camera | Sony A6700 |
Lens | Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN |
Creative Style | IN |
Date | 21 April 2024 |
Location | Meizhou, Guangdong, China |
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#: 1 | SS: 1/100s | ISO: 100 | F: 4.0 | +/-: -0.7 | FL35: 27mm | Caption: A building with a wooden floor and a large door inside Chengdelou Meizhou |
#: 2 | SS: 1/80s | ISO: 100 | F: 2.8 | +/-: -1.3 | FL35: 75mm | Caption: A Chinese painting with two birds flying in the air | #: 3 | SS: 1/30s | ISO: 125 | F: 2.8 | +/-: -1.7 | FL35: 42mm | Caption: A bird nest bowl of hand-shredded salt-baked chicken |
#: 4 | SS: 1/30s | ISO: 100 | F: 2.8 | +/-: -1.0 | FL35: 52mm | Caption: A bowl of fern salad |
#: 5 | SS: 1/50s | ISO: 100 | F: 2.8 | +/-: -1.0 | FL35: 52mm | Caption: A bowl of Hakka stuffed tofu | #: 6 | SS: 1/30s | ISO: 100 | F: 2.8 | +/-: -1.0 | FL35: 75mm | Caption: A bamboo steamer with Hakka dumplings in it |
#: 7 | SS: 1/50s | ISO: 100 | F: 2.8 | +/-: -1.0 | FL35: 27mm | Caption: A blue wall with peeling paint and peeling |
#: 8 | SS: 1/1250s | ISO: 100 | F: 2.8 | +/-: -2.3 | FL35: 27mm | Caption: A balcony with a wooden railing and a blue window in Chengdelou |
#: 9 | SS: 1/1600s | ISO: 100 | F: 2.8 | +/-: -2.3 | FL35: 53mm | Caption: A dirty wooden fence with peeling paint |
#: 10 | SS: 1/200s | ISO: 100 | F: 2.8 | +/-: -1.0 | FL35: 53mm | Caption: A stone grinding machine with a wooden handle |
#: 11 | SS: 1/1600s | ISO: 100 | F: 2.8 | +/-: -0.7 | FL35: 27mm | Caption: Backyard of Chengdelou building | #: 12 | SS: 1/1000s | ISO: 100 | F: 2.8 | +/-: -1.3 | FL35: 53mm | Caption: The main entrance of Chengdelou |
#: 13 | SS: 1/1000s | ISO: 100 | F: 2.8 | +/-: -1.0 | FL35: 52mm | Caption: A building with a bunch of bamboos growing in the corner |
#: 14 | SS: 1/400s | ISO: 100 | F: 2.8 | +/-: -1.0 | FL35: 27mm | Caption: Chengdelou with a large door and a large window | #: 15 | SS: 1/160s | ISO: 100 | F: 2.8 | +/-: -1.3 | FL35: 27mm | Caption: Chengdelou with a large door and a large window |
#: 16 | SS: 1/100s | ISO: 100 | F: 2.8 | +/-: -0.7 | FL35: 51mm | Caption: A plant in a pot on a wooden chair | #: 17 | SS: 1/250s | ISO: 100 | F: 2.8 | +/-: -0.7 | FL35: 36mm | Caption: A small building with a sign on the side of the aisle |
#: 18 | SS: 1/200s | ISO: 100 | F: 2.8 | +/-: -0.7 | FL35: 75mm | Caption: A tree in a pot at the end of the aisle |
#: 19 | SS: 1/80s | ISO: 100 | F: 2.8 | +/-: -0.7 | FL35: 27mm | Caption: A bunch of fishing net hanging on a clothes line | #: 20 | SS: 1/30s | ISO: 400 | F: 2.8 | +/-: -0.3 | FL35: 51mm | Caption: A cabinet with two doors and traditional Chinese paintings on it |
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