The Ancient Architectural Complex of Panzhoujia

The Ancient Architectural Complex of Panzhoujia

The Ancient Architectural Complex of Panzhoujia is a cultural relic protection unit of Zhejiang Province.

The Ancient Architectural Complex of Panzhoujia is located in Tanxi Town, Pujiang County, dating back to the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Panzhoujia Village is actually made up of two villages—one called the Pan Family Village and the other the Zhou Family Village. Since the two villages have merged over time, they are collectively known as Panzhoujia Village. Genealogy records show that the Zhou family moved from Hangzhou during the Song Dynasty, more than 770 years ago. The Pan family migrated from ancient Huizhou during the Ming Dynasty, with a history of over 410 years. Each place shapes its people, and today Panzhoujia Village has about 500 households.

Panzhoujia Village is situated in the northern mountainous area at the junction of Pujiang and Tonglu. Remarkably, this area features an open mountain plain with expansive views. Locals call it “Dapingyang,” while literati prefer the poetic name “Panzhou,” as it is surrounded by mountains on all sides, resembling a plate. A small stream, unnamed here, flows through. This land has nurtured generations of residents and preserved the village’s ancient architecture, which evokes the charm of past eras.

The ancient buildings in Panzhoujia Village are all hall-style structures. Typically, each branch of a family built its own grand hall. The village boasts dozens of halls of varying sizes. Due to differences in construction periods, these halls vary greatly in both exterior and interior design. Just the gates alone display remarkable diversity—some feature exquisitely carved brick archways, others boast large, official-style gateways, and some gates don’t even open, with stages built right behind them.

The surrounding scenery of Panzhoujia Village is also quite enchanting. As early as the Ming Dynasty, there were scenic spots known as the “Eight Views of Panzhou,” including “Boats Moored at Huangdu,” “Races at Panxi,” and “Meditation at Tangling.” The Huangdu wooden bridge has been destroyed and rebuilt many times over hundreds of years and still stands today. The people of Panzhoujia adhere to their ancestors’ tradition of “farming and studying to pass on the family legacy.” Dai Dian Si, the teacher of Emperor Jiaqing of the Qing Dynasty, once studied under Mr. Zhou from Zhou Family Village, who was even rewarded with a dragon-headed cane by the emperor. During the Qing Dynasty alone, Pan Family Village produced 55 xiucai (successful candidates in the imperial examinations), and today, many villagers study abroad or hold doctoral degrees.

On January 13, 2017, the People's Government of Zhejiang Province listed it as part of the seventh batch of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units.

Tanxi Town: [General] Tanxi Town is the central town in the northern mountainous region of Pujiang and is recognized as an education-strong town and a hygiene-strong town in Jinhua City. Covering an area of 108 square kilometers, the town administers 29 administrative villages, 57 natural villages, and 125 villager groups, with 4,254 households and a total population of 15,470. The industrial output value reached 115 million yuan, tax revenue 10.49 million yuan, export value 8.9 million yuan, per capita rural income 2,940 yuan, and the natural population growth rate 2‰.

[Agriculture] Tanxi Town is a strong agricultural hub in the northern mountainous region, featuring 6,917 mu of farmland and 1,590... More detailed information on Tanxi Town++

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units