Zhang’s Residence on Dayouqiao Street

Zhang’s Residence on Dayouqiao Street

Zhang’s Residence on Dayouqiao Street is a Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Zhang’s Residence on Dayouqiao Street is located at No. 40–46, Dayouqiao Street, Mingfeng Community, Puyuan Town, Tongxiang City. It was built over a hundred years ago by Zhang Fuchen, a local businessman from Puyuan Town during the late Qing Dynasty. Zhang Fuchen, a native merchant of Puyuan Town in the late Qing period, made his fortune through the southern goods trade and a rice business, after which he constructed this grand residence.

The entire residence covers an area of approximately 210 square meters. It faces east and backs west, fronting Dayouqiao Street and backing onto the West Puyuan Market River. The structure is a three-courtyard, three-bay, sky-well style building, divided into front and rear sections. The front section consists of two courtyards: the first courtyard includes wing rooms built along the street-facing wall, while the second courtyard features a main hall that is spacious and bright. The rear courtyard has a central two-story hall, flanked by wing rooms on both sides. The sky wells, walls, and wing rooms are all well-preserved. The overall layout of the house remains historically intact, with complete beam structures and exquisitely carved wooden components.

The current front section of the old residence includes, in sequence, a screen wall, wing rooms, a front sky well, the main hall, and a rear sky well. The street-facing screen wall is imposing, featuring a stone gate in the center and a small side door at the right corner. Both doors have stone pillars, beams, and thresholds. Upon entering through the main gate and passing through the corridor of the wing rooms, you reach a flagstone-paved sky well. Behind the sky well is the main structure—a three-bay main hall with five beams, double steps at the front and back, and well-preserved beam structures. It has a flush gable roof with firewalls on both sides. Originally, there were passageways along the central axis and on both sides of the main hall that crossed the narrow rear sky well to connect to the rear courtyard. Now, the passageways on the sides have collapsed, while the one along the central axis remains intact.

The rear courtyard is separated from the front by a wall. The central axis of the wall once had a brick-carved gate tower, but the upper part with the carvings has been removed. The stone base of the tower remains, with fine carvings that are well-preserved. Upon entering the rear courtyard, there is a flagstone-paved sky well. At the front is the two-story hall, with five beams, double steps at the front and back, and wing rooms on both sides. The wooden beam structure is intact, using sturdy materials with finely crafted details. The front features uniform latticed windows with oyster shell panes, exquisitely made. The wing rooms on both sides are complete and quaintly charming. At the back of the two-story hall is a small sky well, beyond which lies the market river. Small side doors are set at the corners of the sky well walls, each leading to a waterside stone pier that connects to the river. These double-entry stone piers are paved with flagstones and remain well-preserved.

Zhang’s Residence on Dayouqiao Street exhibits a clear historical lineage, exquisite craftsmanship, and an intact overall structure. Built along the street and close to the water, it retains its historical layout and showcases distinctive characteristics of traditional Jiangnan water town residences.

In January 2011, it was designated as part of the Sixth Batch of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Puyuan Knitting Park (Puyuan Town): A town under the jurisdiction of Tongxiang City. In 1950, Jiapu Town and Tongpu Town merged and were named Puyuan Town. In 1958, the Puyuan Management District of the Puyuan Commune was established, which reverted to town status in 1959. In 1965, the name “Puyuan” was changed to “Buyuan,” then restored to “Puyuan” in 1989. In 1992, Puyuan Township was incorporated. Located in the eastern part of the city, it covers an area of 36 square kilometers with a population of 32,000. The area has National Highway 320 and the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. It administers 16 villages: Zhouyi, Huilong, Puyuan, Hongxing, Hongxiao, Xingfeng, Le’an, Huanghe, Jinlong, Yongyue, Yonglian, Xinhua, Yunhe, Anxin, Yongpu, and Fisheries… More details about Puyuan Knitting Park (Puyuan Town) ++

Further Reading:

· Sixth Batch of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units