Former Residence of Hou Yutian of the Taiping Rebellion

The Former Residence of Hou Yutian of the Taiping Rebellion

The Former Residence of Hou Yutian of the Taiping Rebellion is a cultural relic protection unit of Suzhou.

The Former Residence of Hou Yutian of the Taiping Rebellion

It is situated at No. 80–92, Shantangjing'an, in the urban area. Originally a residence of the Zeng family during the Qing Dynasty, it was used from the 10th year of the Xianfeng reign (1860) to the early years of the Tongzhi reign as the garrison residence of Hou Yutian, the Taiping Rebellion’s Changzhao Prefecture Supervisor. The residence faces south and currently consists of three architectural complexes. The eastern section has two courtyards front and back, with the rear hall spanning three bays (10 meters) in width and 8.2 meters in depth, featuring a eaves height of 3.6 meters, and using moon beams and bracket sets. Most columns are round. The rear section features a front hall and a rear building with two courtyards. The front hall spans three bays (11 meters) in width and 11 meters in depth including the corridor, with an eaves height of 3.2 meters. Its beam framework also uses moon beams and bracket sets, and most columns are round. It was designated as a cultural relic protection unit of Changshu City in November 1982.