Tianjin Zheng Family Courtyard
Introduction The Zheng Family Courtyard is located in Gegu Town. Completed during the late Qing Dynasty and early Republican era, it earned its name as the residence of the Zheng family. Covering an area of 6,000 square meters, it consists of six traditional Chinese courtyard houses, along with two wing courtyards to the east and west. The complex includes cellars, watchtowers, and over a hundred rooms in total. Pathways run through the courtyards, which are interconnected by moon gates. The layout features smaller courtyards within larger ones, with stone carvings of animals and plants embedded in the walls. All buildings are constructed with brick and wood, featuring gray tiles on blue bricks, front porches, and rear halls. The craftsmanship is exquisite, using high-quality materials — all bricks and tiles were fired in a single kiln, timber is exclusively red and white pine, and stones are fine bluish granite. The entire structure boasts precisely fitted bricks, slurry-filled joints, painted beams and carved rafters, as well as colored paintings and coatings. It ranks as the second-largest residential complex in North China, alongside the Shi Family Courtyard in Yangliuqing, and has been designated as a district-level cultural heritage site.
Tianjin Jinnan District
Gegu Town: Gegu Town in Jinnan District, Tianjin, is one of the historically recognized “Eight Great Ancient Towns” of North China. Located at the tail end of the Haihe River, where the river curves beautifully eastward, Gegu was once a water town. In days gone by, the landscape was dominated by water, dotted with lakes, harbors, ponds, and pools, interwoven with rivers, ditches, canals, and reservoirs. These waterways divided the ancient town into several island-like sections, connected by nine bridges. Willow and peach trees lined the banks, creating stretches of peach blossoms for miles, accompanied by birdsong. Boats drifted gently, while bridges appeared and disappeared among the trees, resembling a scene from the Jiangnan water region. Gegu Town began to be developed as early as the Song Dynasty, and during the Yuan Dynasty, … More details about Gegu Town++
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