The Ancient Residential Complex of Shu Family Lane

The Ancient Residential Complex of Shu Family Lane

The Ancient Residential Complex of Shu Family Lane is a cultural heritage site protected by Jiashan County.

The Ancient Residential Complex of Shu Family Lane

Shu Family Lane is located east of the Jiashan County Museum in Huayang Town. It largely retains the original street layout from the Qing Dynasty, among which the ancient residences at No. 12, No. 27, and No. 28 are relatively well-preserved and of high cultural value.

The residence of Hu Zhiqin is situated at No. 27 Shu Family Lane in Huayang Town. Built during the Qing Dynasty, it faces south, covers an area of 420 square meters, and features a symmetrical layout with upper and lower halls, interconnected second floors, a central courtyard, and side rooms to the east and west. This house uses large construction materials and features distinctive craftsmanship—all beams and columns are square-shaped. Indoor wooden components have minimal carvings. In the middle section, there is a red-lacquered and gold-leaf inscribed plaque reading “Qiyi Guan She” (Eminent Elders of the Community), gifted by the then-county magistrate on the occasion of the owner’s 90th birthday in the 23rd year of the Qianlong reign during the Qing Dynasty. The east side houses the kitchen and auxiliary rooms. This residence features rare construction styles and holds certain artistic value.

The residence of Shu Shaomin is located at No. 28 Shu Family Lane in Huayang Town. It faces south, has an area of 195 square meters, and was built in the late Ming or early Qing Dynasty. The structure includes symmetrical upper and lower halls, interconnected second-floor rooms, side rooms to the east and west, a central courtyard, and rammed earth flooring with enclosed fire walls. It uses large materials with all beams and columns formed into squares, and its indoor wooden carvings are lightly decorated. Originally, there was a plaque in the middle section, now lost. The rear section serves as the kitchen and auxiliary rooms, sharing a similar design with No. 27 Shu Family Lane. This style is relatively rare in Huizhou architecture and holds certain artistic value.

The residence of Shu Yongji is located at No. 12 Shu Family Lane in Huayang Town. A mid-Qing Dynasty building, it faces south, covers 260 square meters, and has three sections with three bays each, along with front and rear courtyards. The front section features symmetrical upper and lower halls, side rooms, and a former front hall that has been demolished and replaced by two small single-story houses. The rear hall is a single-story structure, with the front part featuring an arched ceiling and the back having floor-board decoration. The middle section has interconnected second-floor rooms and side rooms, while the rear is the kitchen. To the east, there is a small two-section parlor and enclosed fire walls. Interior elements such as diagonal braces, bracket arms, and trays feature exquisite carvings. After the liberation, it served as a cadre training center and was owned by the county housing management committee. The descendants of this residence are now in Taiwan and have repeatedly requested the return of the property. This residence is large in scale, finely constructed, and the wooden carving elements are highly artistic, giving it certain cultural heritage value.

Huayang Town: Huayang Town is an ancient town with a history of 2,000 years and currently serves as the seat of Jiashan County government, functioning as the political, economic, and cultural center of the county. The town administers five community residential committees, four village committees, spans an area of 83 square kilometers, and has a population of 43,000. It includes 490 hectares of cultivated land, of which 337 hectares are paddy fields.

1. Convenient Transportation in Huayang. Located in the heart of southern Anhui, serving as a north-south transportation hub, Huayang enjoys convenient transport and has long been reputed as “linked to Jinling on the left and Hangzhou on the right.” Today, the Wan’gan Railway and Yihuang Highway run north-south through the town. The local train station is a second-class station and connects with the Huihang Expressway… More details about Huayang Town++