Hu's Grand Courtyard in Xuexi

Hu's Grand Courtyard in Xuexi

Hu's Grand Courtyard in Xuexi is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Hu's Residence in Xuexi, located in Qiaoxi Village, Xuexi Township, Sanpai Town, covers an area of 4,254 square meters and was built during the Qing Dynasty. The entire structure has a very rustic charm, with pine wood as the main building material inside the courtyard and no paint used to preserve the natural color of the wood. The surroundings of Xuexi are as beautiful as its name suggests.

The entire architecture of Hu's Residence is very rustic, with courtyard walls made of pebbles from nearby streams. The joints between the stones are tightly fitted, and pebbles of different colors are arranged alternately, forming a beautiful pattern either intentionally or unintentionally. The buildings inside the courtyard mainly use pine wood without paint, showcasing the simple and natural texture of the wood.

The materials used are exquisite and the craftsmanship is refined, combining French-style regularity with rustic flexibility, featuring a distinctive blend of southern Zhejiang and northern Fujian architectural styles. Built between the 12th year of the Daoguang reign (1832) and the 13th year of the Tongzhi reign (1874) of the Qing Dynasty, it includes Hu's Grand Courtyard, Hu's Small Ancestral Hall, Hu's Grand Ancestral Hall, Fenglong Cottage, Waicuo Cottage, and Hu's Study, forming a grand architectural complex.

The main building, Hu's Grand Courtyard, faces east and has a two-courtyard layout, covering an area of 4,500 square meters. The first courtyard consists of a gate tower, gatehouse, and north and south side courtyards. The north and south side courtyards are symmetrically arranged, each consisting of a gate tower, main house, west wing room, and porch, forming a tripartite courtyard. The second courtyard consists of a gate tower, main house, and wing rooms.

The Hu's Courtyard architectural complex is grand in scale, strictly laid out, and systematically complete, reflecting information about the organizational structure of agricultural society during the Qing Dynasty. It is a representative clan architectural complex.

Xuexi Township: A township under the jurisdiction of Taishun County. At the time of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, it was Xuexi Township. In 1952, it was divided into Xuexi and Xiping townships. In 1956, the two townships were merged back into Xuexi Township. In 1958, it was called a management area. In 1962, it became a commune. In 1984, the township was re-established, and in 1992, Xuelin Township was incorporated. Located in the southern part of the county, it borders Fuding City, Fujian Province, to the south and is 27 kilometers from Luoyang. It covers an area of 26.7 square kilometers with a population of 9,000. The Dalongkou–Guhu Highway passes through the area. It administers Yanxi, Dalongkou, Liuxi, Shanqian, Qiudong, Qiaoxi, Fu'tou, ??mian, Dalu Road, Tuodi, Kengdoulan, Beidou... More details about Xuexi Township++

Further reading:

· Fifth Batch of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units