Datian Ma’s Manor

Datian Ma’s Manor

Datian Ma’s Manor is a cultural relics protection unit of Zhejiang Province.

Datian Ma’s Manor is located in Datian Subdistrict, Linhai City, and dates back to the Republican era.

Ma’s Manor, commonly known as the Ma Family Grand Courtyard, is located at the southwestern entrance of Xiashatu Village, Datian Subdistrict, Linhai City. On December 4, 2006, it was designated as a “Linhai Municipal Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.” On January 13, 2017, the People's Government of Zhejiang Province listed it as part of the seventh batch of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Ma’s Manor was the former residence of Ma Hanqing, a local gentry figure during the Republican era. It was built in the 18th year of the Republic of China (1929) and completed in the mid-autumn of the following year. The manor faces south and consists of a porch, main house, and east and west wing rooms, covering a total area of 1,017 square meters. The front section has a main house with five rooms, three rooms on each of the east and west wings, totaling eleven rooms along the entire facade, spanning over 50 meters from east to west. Behind the main section, there are two smaller courtyard units on the east and west sides, each with eight identically sized rooms. The eaves are fitted with galvanized iron gutters, and horse-riding corridors are built overhead, connecting all rooms seamlessly. Behind the courtyards, there are six rear rooms and nine miscellaneous rooms, bringing the total number of rooms to 47. Small gardens are constructed behind the main house and the side wings, featuring high plastered lattice windows and flower stands. Originally, a perimeter wall was built at the front, inscribed with the characters “Built in the 18th Year of the Republic of China,” but the rear wall has been demolished. A watchtower was built at the southwest corner for home defense.

The Ma Family Courtyard is one of the typical representative buildings of the Republican era in Linhai. Covering an area of over four mu, the grand high-walled compound features an imposing presence. In front of the gate tower, there is an open space, and a tall gate tower was separately built with a brick-and-stone structure. An external small bridge made of cement and reinforced steel, in Western style, was also rare for its time. The most remarkable feature of the Ma Family Courtyard is its overall “品”-shaped layout, with twelve gable walls, three courtyards, three small gardens, and a surrounding lake to the southwest. The architecture preserves a large number of plaster reliefs, wood carvings, and stone carvings, with plaster reliefs being the most prominent, followed by stone carvings and then wood carvings—showcasing the integration of diverse crafts. The inner corridor floor is paved with cement embedded with phoenix patterns, and the vents of the stone steps are decorated with the “Blue Sky with White Sun” flag design from the Republican era. The main house’s gate tower is inscribed with “Prudent and Restrained Family Tradition,” and features a stone plaque engraved with “A Family of Officials for Generations.” The corridor floor is cement-paved with embedded phoenix motifs, while the vents of the stone steps are adorned with the Republican-era “Blue Sky with White Sun” flag. Particularly notable are the surviving plaster reliefs of the Three Stars of Blessing, Prosperity, and Longevity on the east and west gable walls of the main house, which are exquisitely crafted and lifelike. The main gate tower is inscribed with “Prudent and Restrained Family Tradition,” and the lintel beam is carved with a design of two phoenixes facing the sun, adorned with stacked figures, flowers, grid-patterned lettering, and pendant ornaments, highlighted with Prussian blue and navy accents, showcasing meticulous craftsmanship.

The entire courtyard has a double-sloped roof and horse-head-shaped gables. The porch is single-story with a single eave, while the main house and wings are double-story with double eaves. The main house has five bays, a post-and-lintel structure with seven columns and seven purlins, and three single-step spaces both in the front and rear. The wings each have three and a half bays (with the southernmost bay being half-sized), and the porch has seven bays, with richly decorated column capitals and spandrels. Forty-one meters in front of the building lies an outer gate tower, and the entire compound was originally surrounded by walls, beyond which ran a moat for estate protection.

Ma’s Manor is a typical example of Republican-era architecture that blends Chinese and Western styles. The entire manor was originally quite large, encircled by a protective moat, and connected by a Western-style cement flower bridge. The main structures consist of three rows of interconnected houses, whose exterior facades, gate towers, window frames, and pillars all exhibit Western architectural features. Arranged in a “品” shape, the roofs are tall and majestic, covered with black tiles atop gray bricks. Particularly eye-catching are the refined plaster reliefs on the gate lintels and gable walls. The interior courtyards feature traditional two-story wooden quadrangle layouts, with components and decorative details of considerable ornamental value. The floors are Western-style cement surfaces, but unfortunately, due to lack of maintenance, some parts of the architecture have suffered from water leakage, mildew, and decay, leaving them in a state of disrepair. Such residences, which ingeniously combine Chinese and Western styles on a relatively large scale, are rare in Zhejiang and hold significant architectural art value.

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

Xiashatu Village: Xiashatu Village…… More details about Xiashatu Village++

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units