Wu Runzhao’s Private Courtyard

Wu Runzhao’s Private Courtyard

Wu Runzhao’s Private Courtyard is a cultural heritage site protected at the municipal level in Jiaxing.

Wu Runzhao’s Private Courtyard is located on Zhongbei Street in Xincheng Town, Xiuzhou District, Jiaxing City. According to staff at the local cultural station, it was built during the Taiping Rebellion period of the Qing Dynasty. The Wu family originally came from Shengze Town, Wujiang, Jiangsu Province, and were one of the major silk merchants in that town. Wu purchased a plot of land extending from the western end of Wensong Bridge to Wujia Lane, bordered by the city river to the south and Xiushui Bang to the north, and built this courtyard. The private courtyard faces south and features a brick-and-timber structure. Originally consisting of five courtyards, four remain today. The first three serve as exhibition halls, while the fourth was rebuilt after being destroyed by fire. The fifth courtyard is not included in the exhibition area. The layout of the exhibition halls is symmetrical along a central axis, covering an area of over 500 square meters. It has a total width of 12.25 meters and a depth of 44.92 meters. The first courtyard is a two-story, three-bay building. It combines raised-beam and through-tenon construction styles, with five purlins. The bracket arms are carved with lion designs. The ground is paved with square bricks, and the second floor serves as office space. To the north are east and west wing rooms, and north of these is a brick-carved gate tower inscribed with the characters “Filial Piety and Friendship Pass Down the Family.” The second courtyard is a three-bay hall, originally used as a main reception hall. It was constructed with relatively large materials, featuring a five-purlin raised-beam structure, with double steps both front and rear, supported by four pillars. It includes square brackets, and the eaves columns are adorned with hanging floral pillars. The moon beams and crossbeams are finely carved, and the lattice windows are intact. The column bases have no decorative patterns. The floor is paved with square bricks, and it now functions as an exhibition hall. The third courtyard is a two-story, three-bay building. It also uses relatively large materials and a five-purlin raised-beam structure, with double steps and four supporting pillars. The beams and crossbeams are exquisitely carved, and the door panels feature relief carvings from "The Romance of the Western Chamber." The column bases lack ornamentation, and the floor is paved with square bricks. This section currently serves as an exhibition hall as well. On either side of the courtyard are horse-head walls, and there is a side passage on the west. The Wu family residence is well preserved, with a relatively large scale, refined craftsmanship, and exquisite beam and crossbeam carvings. It holds significant importance for the study of modern residential architecture in the region and boasts high historical, artistic, and scientific value. It was designated as a municipal-level cultural heritage site in Jiaxing in 2009.

Source: Jiaxing Cultural Relics Protection Office

Xincheng Town: Located in the northwest of Xiuzhou District, Jiaxing City, Xincheng Town is adjacent to the Xiuzhou New District, borders Wuzhen in Tongxiang City to the west, links with Puyuan Town in Tongxiang City to the south, and connects to Wujiang City in Jiangsu Province to the north. It is a millennium-old town with distinctive Jiangnan water town features, rich in history. As a satellite town of Jiaxing and one of the largest central towns in Xiuzhou District, it is recognized as a strong educational and sanitary town in Zhejiang Province, a historic and cultural town, a Donghai Pearl Culture Town, one of the top ten emerging flower-growing towns, a civilized town of Jiaxing, a town with distinctive culture, and among the top ten towns for foreign investment utilization. The total area of the town is 133.1 square kilometers, including a town area of 4.2… More detailed information about Xincheng Town++