The Old Huayi Charitable Estate in Dangkou

The Old Huayi Charitable Estate in Dangkou

The Old Huayi Charitable Estate in Dangkou is a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Jiangsu Province.

The Old Huayi Charitable Estate was built during the Qing Dynasty’s Qianlong era by Hua Jinshi and his son Hua Gongbi. Subsequent generations of the Huayi family made further additions. The estate now consists of four courtyards and is located on the north side of Beicang River in Dangkou, covering an area of 250() square meters. The Old Charitable Estate is a typical example of early Qing and Ming-style architecture in the Jiangnan region, notable for its considerable scale and relatively well-preserved condition. In particular, the third courtyard's nanmu (phoebe nanmu) main hall and the screen wall across the river in front of it are distinctive features, possessing high historical, artistic, and scientific value. It also holds significant importance for the study of the rise and development of charitable estates in the Jiangnan region. In 2002, the Old Charitable Estate was listed as a Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Heritage Protection Unit, and in 2007, it underwent comprehensive renovation.

On October 7, 2019, the Old Huayi Charitable Estate in Dangkou was included in the eighth batch of Major National Historical and Cultural Sites in China.

Further reading:

· Eighth Batch of Major National Historical and Cultural Sites in China