The Ancient Mansion of Song Wenpu

The Ancient Mansion of Song Wenpu

Built in 1912 after being purchased and renovated by Song Wenpu, a overseas Chinese from the Philippines, and completed in 1915, this is a typical mansion that blends Chinese and Western architectural styles. The street-facing section features three bays with double wing rooms, comprising 40 rooms of various sizes, and has a stone-paved courtyard covering over a hundred square meters outside. It exhibits the classic traditional architectural style of southern Fujian. The entire mansion is richly adorned with carved beams and painted rafters, and is covered inside and out with exquisite—but mostly damaged—ceramic, wood, and brick carvings that still display remarkable craftsmanship. Behind the ancient mansion lies a private garden, where a two-story Western-style building stands beautifully old, surrounded by corridors in the typical arcade style. Its exterior presents a Western mansion look, while the interior structure follows the design of a traditional Chinese house, forming a striking contrast with the front ancient mansion. Though somewhat worn, the ancient mansion and the Western building have withstood over ninety years of history, yet still exude an enduring vintage charm.