Lan Tingzhen’s Mansion

Lan Tingzhen’s Mansion

Lan Tingzhen’s Mansion is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Lan Tingzhen’s Mansion, situated in Xincheng Natural Village, Dingtai Village, Huxi Township, Zhangpu County, is known as "Dingtai New Town" and "Courtyard City" due to its construction on Dingtai in Huxi, encircled by architecture resembling city walls. It is a fortress-style mansion completed in the fifth year of the Yongzheng reign (1727) after being built in the late Kangxi period by Lan Tingzhen, the Fujian Navy Commander of the Qing Dynasty. It also served as the former residence of Lan Yuanmei, grandson of Lan Tingzhen and the Jiangnan Navy Commander. This site is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Lan Tingzhen (1664–1729), courtesy name Jingpu, was a native of Huxi, Zhangpu. He held official positions such as Commander-in-Chief of Nan Yue and Fujian Navy Commander. He once administered Taiwan’s military affairs and made notable achievements in stabilizing and governing Taiwan. After his death, he was posthumously awarded the title of “Shaobao” (Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent) and the posthumous name “Xiangyi,” with hereditary rank as a Light Chariot Commandant. During the Kangxi era, he joined the military along with his clansman Lan Li (courtesy name Yifu, literary name Wenshan, from Chiling, Zhangpu, a pioneering fighter who shed blood in battle during the Taiwan pacification, later promoted to Left Regional Commander for his leading role, eventually rising to Fujian Commander) to enlist under Prince Kang of the Qing. Starting in 1695 (the 34th year of Kangxi), he served successively as Bazi of Dinghai Camp, Pan Shi Guard, Youji of Wenzhou Town Central Camp, Deputy Commander of Penghu, and Commander-in-Chief of Nanyue. In 1721 (the 60th year of Kangxi), he led troops into Taiwan to suppress the Zhu Yigui Rebellion. After Taiwan’s recovery, he was appointed as Acting Administrator of Taiwan’s Official Affairs. During his tenure managing Taiwan’s military, he persuaded Fujian Governor Manbao and General Shi Shipiao against slaughtering civilians, which led many early settlers from the mainland who had sided with Zhu Yigui to return to Qing rule. Many were immigrants from his hometown of Zhangpu, emerging from “Zhangpu Settlement” to assist Lan Tingzhen in stabilizing society and developing agriculture, playing a significant role in Taiwan’s early development. He also submitted memorials advising the Qing court to prioritize Taiwan’s defenses against foreign aggression. Following the advice of his clansman Lan Dingyuan (courtesy name Yulin, literary name Luzhou, from Chiling, Zhangpu, an eminent official and mastermind in planning Taiwan’s governance in the early Qing), he implemented a series of “aboriginal management policies” including strengthening unity between Han Chinese and the Gaoshan people, improving Taiwan’s defenses, encouraging cultivation, and developing production. These policies were later “referenced by generations of Taiwan administrators” and had a far-reaching impact. In 1723 (the first year of Yongzheng), Lan Tingzhen was promoted to Fujian Navy Commander. His son Lan Richong inherited his position, rising to Regimental Commander of Tongshan Camp, while his grandson Lan Yuanmei served successively as Commander-in-Chief of Taiwan Town and Jiangnan Navy Commander, suppressing the Lin Shuangwen Rebellion in Taiwan during the Qianlong era. Lan Tingzhen’s Mansion is large in scale and rigorously laid out. The architectural complex faces east and sits west, featuring a spacious square paved with 360 flagstones at the front, arranged in an interlocking pattern and exuding grandeur. The main building’s foundation base is covered with large granite slabs, while its exterior combines red, gray bricks, and white plastered walls, spanning 50 meters in width and 86 meters in depth, covering approximately 4,300 square meters. A pair of blue stone drums, each 1.5 meters high, stand on either side of the gate, adorned with exquisite carvings of qilins, lotuses, and aquatic plants. The gate pillars are inscribed with a couplet praising Lan Tingzhen’s historical feats in pacifying and governing Taiwan:

Restored the Lu’er Strait in a single morning, your strategies rival those of Guan and Yue;

Secured the Eastern Capital in seven days, your military tactics compare to Sun and Wu.

The entire structure features a combination of brick and earthen wall load-bearing hip-and-gable roof systems with purlin-supported rafters and wooden through-tenon frameworks. The entrance hall, main hall, and rear hall use wooden through-tenon frames, with thick beams and columns — some reaching 40 cm in diameter — and the wooden beams are richly decorated with carvings such as “yuanguang,” “tuori,” and “diaotong.”

The mansion complex is symmetrically distributed across five longitudinal sections along a central axis, consisting sequentially of the entrance hall, main hall, rear hall, main tower, and rear wing. The left and right wings are connected by “water-passage corridors,” forming a layout of a large quadrangle enclosing smaller ones. The first section has seven bays, with the roof curving upward into a double-ridged flush gable style. The second section also has a double-ridged flush gable roof. The main hall is centrally located, backed by a screen wall and fronted by an arched veranda, featuring a coffered ceiling and open connection to the courtyard. The third section is the rear hall, used for enshrining deities and conducting worship ceremonies. It connects openly with the courtyard, and its side corridors link seamlessly with the rear corridor of the main hall, creating the largest indoor space in the entire residence, reflecting its central importance. The fourth section is a two-story earthen tower called “Rijie Tower,” with plaques personally inscribed by Lan Tingzhen reading “Rijie Tower,” along with seals such as “Jingpu,” “Zhubao Songmao,” and “Lan Tingzhen Seal.” The tower’s name is derived from the *Book of Changes* phrase “three daytime receptions,” symbolizing that Lan Tingzhen’s sons Richong, Richang, and Rining, and the future generations of the Lan family, would continue his legacy. The tower’s ground floor is built with square flagstones, while the second floor uses rammed earth walls 0.8 meters thick, spanning 23 meters in width and 10 meters in depth. Notably, constructing an earthen tower within a mansion is extremely rare among Southern Fujian residences and is a unique feature of Lan Tingzhen’s Mansion. The wooden structure of the tower was destroyed by fire in the 1940s, though the main tower’s outer walls still stand intact. The fifth section consists of rear wing rooms, with the middle room serving as an open hall and both ends equipped with back doors. The rear wing rooms, together with the left and right wing rooms, form a large quadrangle, with the earthen tower situated at the center, presenting a distinctive “courtyard city” form — an impressive sight.

Lan Tingzhen’s Mansion is a masterpiece among official residences in Southern Fujian and serves as a historical testament to the relationship between Fujian and Taiwan, as well as the history of the Lan family. The mansion is grand in scale, symmetrically laid out, ingeniously designed, and employs diverse craftsmanship techniques. The inclusion of an earthen tower within the mansion creates a courtyard city layout, representing the pinnacle of architectural artistry in Southern Fujian at the time. It is worth mentioning that over 300 years ago, the Lan family of Zhangpu produced dozens of prominent military leaders renowned for their martial achievements, holding key positions and making significant contributions to the unification of Taiwan, as well as its early development and governance. Among them, Lan Tingzhen, Lan Li, and Lan Yuanmei held the highest official rank of First Class, and were recognized by the Taiwan Literature Committee as figures who made major contributions to Taiwan’s early development. Lan Li, Lan Tingzhen, and the eminent official and mastermind in planning Taiwan’s governance, Lan Dingyuan, are historically referred to as the “Three Lan Heroes.” They are outstanding representatives of the Chinese Lan family. This unique familial phenomenon holds significant importance for the study of China’s She ethnic history, She-Han relations, and sociology.

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units