Shantou Travel: Ancient Charm, Lanterns, and a Century of Opera 🪭

🏮 Continuing our Shantou journey, this time we start our city walk at the Laomagong Theater. This cultural and architectural treasure with a history of hundreds of years records the development of Shantou's culture, art, and intangible cultural heritage to a certain extent.

—————————
Name: Laomagong Theater
Address: No. 1 Shengping Road, Jinping District, Shantou, Guangdong
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00–12:00, 14:00–18:30
Tickets: Free
—————————

🌟 Long history
Laomagong Theater was built during the Jiaqing period of the Qing Dynasty and is one of the earliest buildings in Shantou before the port was opened. It not only carries important memories of the cultural and entertainment life of the people of Shantou, but also bears witness to the development and changes of the city. It is also a historical relic of the Maritime Silk Road.

🌟 East meets West
The unique architectural style combines elements of traditional Chaoshan architecture and Western architecture. The main building is a Qilou, with exterior walls that inherit the traditional Chaoshan carving techniques, while the building itself has Western elements such as arched windows and stained glass, giving it high artistic value.

🌟 Rich cultural activities
From ancient times to the present, this has been an important venue for opera performances, where ancient operas, especially Chaoshan folk operas, have been passed down. In modern times, more art forms have been performed here, making people's cultural and entertainment life more colorful.

🌟 Unique intangible cultural heritage
The theater is divided into two floors, with the atrium running through the stage and performance area. There are also several exhibition halls around, displaying many Chaoshan intangible cultural heritage skills such as Chao embroidery, paper cutting, wood carving, bottle painting, helmets, and porcelain inlays, allowing visitors to gain a deeper understanding of Chaoshan culture.

🏮 As a Shantou landmark with a long history and cultural connotation, Laomagong Theater has always stood in the old city of Shantou and played an important role in cultural inheritance. When you go on a city walk near Xiaogongyuan, Laomagong Theater is a must-see.