Gongchenlou, Tin Ka Ping's Former Residence

Tin Ka Ping's (Tian Jiabing in Mandarin) former residence, Gongchenlou, is an ancient Hakka residence in Yintan Village, Gaopi Town, Daibu County, Meizhou City, Guangdong Province, built in the seventh year of the Qing Guangxu reign (1881) for Tian Jiabing's great-grandfather, Tian Baichou. Tian Jiabing's former residence, Gongchenlou, is his birthplace and place of growth, as well as the source of his spirit and cultural roots, has now been listed as a provincial cultural relics protection units, and built Tian Jiabing Memorial Hall, to show the public his great deeds and noble spirit.

About Gongchenlou

Gongchenlou is a typical Hakka residence with white walls and tiles, two courtyards, and "儒林郎第" on the top of the door. Hall layout, brick and wood structure, the upper hall building two-storey high, the center of the main hall, each side has two compartments; the lower hall bungalow, the center of the patio. The ridge of the main door has simple clay sculpture, and there is a fence outside the door; to the left of the door, there is a compartment, and the front of the compartment is made up of wooden partition and wooden screen. On the right side of the main body, there is a bucket door built at an angle of 60 degrees. The wall is connected with the fence from high to low in four levels. The whole building is not large in scale, but it is well laid out, sunny and light-filled, facing the Han River, with a wide view.

About Tin Ka Ping

Tin Ka Ping is a famous entrepreneur, philanthropist, educator, known as "the father of China's 100 schools", has donated nearly 300 schools and many public welfare undertakings throughout the country, respected and loved by all walks of life.

The name of Gongchenlou is derived from a poem by Liu Yuxi, a poet of the Tang Dynasty: "相印昔辞东阁去，将星还拱北辰来". The "Star of Tian Jiabing" that flies out from Gongchenlou stretches across the sky and is famous in China, and Tian Jiabing was born here in 1919. He was influenced by traditional Confucian education from a young age, studious, hard-working and self-improvement, dropped out of school at the age of 16 after the death of his father, took up the responsibility of the family, and at the age of 18, he has moved to Vietnam, Indonesia and Hong Kong, Dongguan and other places of hard work, and set up a chemical enterprise, which has become a leader in the industry. 

In the 1980s, he set up the Tin Ka Ping Foundation with the mission of serving the country, focusing on charity and public welfare, especially education. He took the responsibility to develop the country through education and culture, practiced the concept of "China's hope lies in education", and was known as the father of 100 schools for his donations to education with his heart for his country. He also donated hospitals, bridges, roads and other livelihood projects, and actively supported the welfare of overseas Chinese. His philanthropic endeavors spread all over the country and benefited millions of people. His achievements and spirit have been highly praised by national leaders and all walks of life, and he has been awarded a number of honors and awards, and asteroid 2886 has been named " Tin Ka Ping Star".

On July 10, 2018, Mr. Tian Jiabing passed away at the age of 99 years. His hometown, Dabu County, in order to honor his great achievements and high morals, and to take in public opinion, decided to build a memorial hall next to Gongchenlou, to show his great and legendary life in all aspects. The Memorial Hall was officially opened on August 11, 2021, attracting many tourists and students to visit and learn. The Memorial Hall exhibits Mr. Tian Jiabing's bronze statue, doctor's uniform, daily necessities, precious photos and other physical objects, as well as the distribution map and list of schools and public welfare undertakings he donated across the country. The Memorial Hall is divided into eight parts, introducing Mr. Tian's background, entrepreneurial history, charitable deeds, moral character, honorary achievements, and legacy of love for a thousand years, so that visitors can deeply feel his boundless love and sense of family and country.

The former residence of Mr. Tin Ka Ping, Gongchenlou, is the cultural heritage of Hakka celebrities and an important base for the inheritance and promotion of the spirit of Mr. Tian Jiabing.

Visit information

Opening hours of Tin Ka Ping Memorial Hall:
Open Tuesday to Sunday:
8:30am - 11:30am (Closed after 11:00)
14:30-17:30 PM (Closed after 17:00)

Less than a 15-minute drive from Tian Jiabing's former residence will take you to the site of Singapore's first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew's Ancestral Residence Tourism District. So, if you have enough time, we suggest that you stop by and take a look