Former Residence of Fang Wenbin

Former Residence of Fang Wenbin

The Former Residence of Fang Wenbin is a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Zhejiang Province.

About fifty meters from the entrance of Shangshui Sanlong Alley, a narrow lane connects to Court Street. At the junction of these two lanes lies a relatively open space where the former residence of Fang Wenbin, a renowned public benefactor in the history of our county, was built.

The Fang family’s ancestral home was first constructed during the Guangxu era of the Qing Dynasty. The rear section was built first, and after several expansions, it formed a layout consisting of the main building, auxiliary rooms on the north side, and a rear garden. The main structure is a typical example of Hui-style architecture, facing east and covering an area of approximately 380 square meters. It has three sections (jin) and three bays, with a longitudinal rectangular floor plan. The roof features hard mountain-style hips and gables with horse-head ornaments, covered with yin-yang tiles, and employs a post-and-lintel wooden structure. The upper parts of the walls are made of blue bricks coated with white plaster, while the lower sections are paved with red sandstone slabs. Moving from east to west along the central axis, the layout includes the entrance hall, front courtyard, main hall, courtyard, middle section, rear courtyard, and rear section. The lintel above the main entrance of the front section is adorned with a rectangular door header outlined in geometric-patterned brickwork, with blue bricks in the center. Above the door header is a decorative eave structure made of corbelled blue bricks. Four steps made of red sandstone lead up to the main hall entrance. The door frame, threshold, and door sill are all made of bluestone, with the threshold slightly higher than that of ordinary residences. The floor is made of pounded earth, and the courtyard is paved with red sandstone. The brackets under the eaves around the courtyard are carved with patterns such as clocks and vases. The front porch features a coffered ceiling, with doors on both the north and south sides for easy access. The north door connects to the auxiliary rooms, while the south door leads to Shangshui Sanlong Alley. The central bay of the main hall hangs a plaque inscribed with the words “Shangyi Family Tradition” (referring to righteousness and virtue). The middle section has been partitioned and altered, making its original appearance unrecognizable. The south door of the front porch also leads to Shangshui Sanlong Alley. Originally, the middle and rear sections were connected via a round gate in the rear courtyard, but this was later modified and sealed off. The rear section has undergone fewer alterations and largely retains its original layout. A side door on the north side of the front porch leads to the kitchen. The west and north sides of the kitchen originally formed part of the Fang family’s rear garden. All the passageways between the various sections have been modified and closed off. The auxiliary rooms have been divided and repurposed into several smaller spaces.

Approaching the Former Residence of Fang Wenbin, one sees a somewhat dilapidated gate adorned with a blue sign bearing white characters that bear the imprint bestowed upon this old house by modern times: “Shangshui Sanlong 11.” Under the sunlight, the old residence stands tall and proud. Beneath the peeling white plaster, the blue bricks and weathered stone components quietly reveal the twilight years of the Fang family home. Though the old house may be aged, the spirit of gratitude, integrity, and righteousness embodied by the couple Fang Wenbin and Xue Jiao remains evergreen, deeply rooted in Changshan. Their embodiment of the “Shangyi Family Tradition” through their actions will be passed down from generation to generation across the land of Sanqu.

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of Provincial Cultural Heritage Protection Units in Zhejiang Province