The Zhou Family Residence

The Zhou Family Residence

The Zhou Family Residence is a Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Zhou Family Residence (commonly known as the "Ninety-Nine and a Half Rooms") is located west of Caoheitou in the urban area and was designated as a Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit in 1995. Built during the Xianfeng era of the Qing Dynasty, the residence covers a construction area of nearly 2,900 square meters. The entire architectural complex is arranged along four axes and consists of more than ten courtyards, each complete in itself and formed by 14 patios. The residence includes halls, accounting rooms, wing rooms, wells, gardens, rockeries, and more. The entire complex features grey-tiled blue-brick architecture with exquisite craftsmanship, as well as stunning wood carvings, brick carvings, and stone carvings, making it the foremost surviving ancient residential building in Taizhou.

The original owner of the Zhou Family Residence was Zhou Bin, a local wealthy merchant. After the Zhou family declined, the residence was sold to Wu Xipeng, a former Guangdong Salt Commissioner who had returned to Taizhou upon retirement. Wu moved his entire family into the Zhou Family Residence. He believed that certain parts of the residence had unfavorable feng shui, which contributed to the Zhou family’s downfall. As a result, he decided to re-plan and expand the residence. During the expansion, the original main gate was demolished, and the gate was reoriented to face diagonally southeast. A screen wall was added in front of the gate, additional halls were constructed, and a new garden was created on the western side. This transformed the residence into a grand mansion with four axes spanning east and west, featuring both residential and garden areas, and became renowned as the “Ninety-Nine and a Half Rooms,” Taizhou’s premier luxury home.

After the liberation, ownership of the Zhou Family Residence became state-owned, and it was subsequently used as government offices, a school, and residential housing. In December 2009, the restoration work of the Zhou Family Residence in Taizhou officially commenced. The restoration strictly adhered to the principle of “not altering the original appearance,” ensuring authenticity and restoring the site to its original condition. The project has now been largely completed and the residence has been newly refurbished.

Address: No. 17, Hanxi Road, Hailing District, Taizhou City

Daohe Community: Located at the northern end of the old city area, Daohe Community is bordered by Daohe River to the east, Luting River to the west, Canal Road to the south, and Tongyang Canal to the north. The community covers an area of approximately 0.4 square kilometers, with 2,213 households and around 4,816 residents. Most residents live in single-story houses, and the area is divided into seven sections: east and west of Fengle Road; Hulu Mountain; southern and northern sections of Lingjiagou; Fengle Second Village; Fengle New Village; Beihuiyuan; and Daohe Road.

The ancient Daohe Street district, initially built during the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties, is the largest ancient architectural complex in Taizhou. It features an orderly spatial layout where the waters of the Yangtze and Huai rivers converge, with HANXI and Wuxiang situated to the east and west respectively... More details about Daohe Community ++

Further reading:

· Fifth Batch of Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units