Jiadong Xiao Family Ancient House Introduction
Jiadong Hsiao Family Ancient House was built during the Qing Dynasty's Xianfeng era. After the 19th generation ancestor of the Hsiao family came to Taiwan to establish a prosperous business, craftsmen from Tangshan were hired to replicate the grand layout of their hometown in Meixian, Guangdong. All the building materials were transported from China to Taiwan. The ancient house adopts a double-return style Hakka walled house form, with meticulous attention to the layout and detailed carvings, making this structure not only a beautiful representation of traditional Hakka architecture but also a blend of Holo style. It is one of the rare five-entrance large houses in Taiwan, displaying an imposing facade, and has currently been designated as a national third-grade historic site. The Hsiao Family Ancient House features a five-entrance walled house layout. The first hall serves as the entrance hall, the second hall is for ancestral tablets, the third hall is dedicated to the worship of Heaven, Earth, and the family ancestors, as well as the Earth God and kitchen deities. The fourth hall is known as Mingde Hall, and the fifth hall is the living area. The architectural characteristics reflect the traditional ethical concepts of hierarchy in Chinese culture through the height of the roof. Notably, the Biyue Tower was originally planned as a study room and gathering place for scholars and literati. However, during the period when Taiwan was ceded to Japan, the Hakka people of the Six Piles resisted Japanese rule, leading to the famous Biyue Tower Battle in Six Piles. Today, bullet holes can still be seen in the walls of the Biyue Tower, telling the story of the bravery of the ancestors of Six Piles in their struggle against Japanese invasion. After renovation, the Jiadong Hsiao Family Ancient House retains the original appearance of the living space during its beginnings in rice milling, wine brewing, and cloth dyeing, and is now open to the public as a "living historic site privatization" initiative. It features exhibitions of local craftsmen's works, Hakka mountain songs, and space for performances by the Eight Sounds ensemble, aiming to promote it as a cultural center for the Jiadong area. After visiting the Hsiao Family Ancient House, one can head to the nearby Baozhong Gate (also known as West Aimen). This gate was constructed by the Hakka people of the Six Piles to prevent outside interference. It is a barrier-type gate, built in a hard mountain bracing structure using red bricks, white lime, and a little wood. The roof adopts a swallowtail form, and there are circular openings on both sides of the gate's plaque, serving as gunports for defense, making it an artifact of significant historical value.
