Former Residence of Yang A-miao

Former Residence of Yang A-miao

The former residence of Yang A-miao is a cultural tourism attraction.

The former residence of Yang A-miao is located in Tingdian Village, Jiangnan Town, Licheng District. Built during the Guangxu era of the Qing Dynasty (1875–1908), it took 13 years to complete. Renowned for its magnificent architecture and unique layout, it is celebrated for its distinctive features of Southern Fujian residential design.

Yang A-miao, whose given name was Jiazhong, was an overseas Chinese in the Philippines. The residence was built in the 20th year of the Guangxu era (1894) and was fully completed by the Xinhai year of the Xuantong era (1911), taking a total of 18 years. It has three courtyards and five bays, with a flush-gable roof, and flanking wing rooms on the east and west sides. The front of the house is enclosed by a large stone-paved courtyard surrounded by brick walls on three sides. In front of the main building lies a spacious yard, and between the side rooms and the wing rooms on both the east and west sides are two additional small, straight courtyards, commonly known as the “Five Plum Blossom Courtyards.”

The entire structure is elegant and spacious, bright and airy. The interior and exterior walls, eaves, spaces between beams, column tops, and doors and windows are adorned with exquisitely crafted wood carvings, brick carvings, lacquer carvings, plaster carvings, as well as carvings in bluestone and granite. Using openwork carving, relief carving, and flat carving techniques, the artisans meticulously carved a wealth of motifs including rare birds and animals, flowers and fish, landscapes and figures, stories from the Three Kingdoms, and classic decorative patterns. The walls of the hall display rubbings of calligraphy by ancient artists such as Yan Zhenqing of the Tang Dynasty, Su Shi of the Song Dynasty, Zhang Ruitu of the Ming Dynasty, and Wu Lu of the Qing Dynasty. The entire residence is splendid and luxurious, a rarity among folk buildings in Southern Fujian.

The former residence of Yang A-miao is not only famous for its magnificent architectural carvings but also boasts exquisite details such as carvings and painted decorations that rank among the finest in Southern Fujian architecture. The hall walls feature inscribed artworks by ancient masters such as Yan Zhenqing of the Tang Dynasty, Su Shi of the Song Dynasty, Zhang Ruitu of the Ming Dynasty, and Wu Lu of the Qing Dynasty.

Address: Tingdian Village, Jiangnan Town, Licheng District, Quanzhou City (between Lingxiao Road and Diandang Road).

Type: Historic Site – Celebrity Residence

Recommended Visiting Time: About 1 hour

Opening Hours:

8:00-17:00

Ticket Information:

Door Price: 5.0 RMB

Yang A-miao (1865–1932), whose given name was Jiazhong, was a native of Tingdian Village outside the southern gate of Quanzhou (now part of Jiangnan Town). He was born in 1865 during the fourth year of the Tongzhi era of the Qing Dynasty. Originally named Cai Wazi from Yu Ban Village in Jinjiang County, he was sold at the age of 10 to Yang Sunla, a resident of Tingdian Village, as the latter’s eldest son. Yang Sunla operated the Xiecheng Trading Firm in Manila and established branches in ports such as Cebu, Dumaguete, and Surigao, dealing in local products like ramie and dried coconut.

Personal Story

Yang Sunla passed away in his thirties. When Yang A-miao was around seventeen or eighteen, he went to the Philippines, where he attended a local Spanish school. At the age of 25, his uncle Yang Sun... (Yang A-miao detailed information++)