Xingyuan Ancient Residential House

Xingyuan Ancient Residential House

Xingyuan Ancient Residential House in Minqing is located at No. 360, Lujiao Village, Minqing County, Fujian Province. Built between 1925 and 1927, it covers an area of over 2,500 square meters. The entire structure combines architectural styles from the Ming and Qing dynasties, the Republican era, and Southeast Asia, making it a uniquely distinctive southern-style ancient residence.

Xingyuan was built between 1925 and 1927 and was funded by Liu Guanqiu, the 29th-generation descendant of the Liu family from Lujiao. Born in 1899 (the year of Guihai in the Guangxu reign), Liu Guanqiu went to Southeast Asia in his early years to start a business, where he established the Heliyuan Farm. Later, he returned to his hometown in Lujiao and personally designed and built a new residence. After its completion, he sold the western half of the property to his elder brother Liu Guansi. As Liu Guansi’s courtesy name was Xingcun and Liu Guanqiu’s style name was Suyuan, they combined one character from each of their names to name the residence “Xingyuan.”

In 1987, Liu Guanqiu’s four sons renovated the eastern and northwestern wings of Xingyuan, transforming them into Western-style buildings while retaining the overall layout. This resulted in a courtyard-style complex without altering the main structure. In 2020, Liu Guanqiu’s grandchildren carried out a third renovation following the principle of preserving the original appearance, creating a uniquely distinctive ancient residence.

Architectural Layout

Xingyuan follows a southern-style courtyard layout. The entire building consists of the main house, a study hall, a rear wing, a central courtyard, a gate pavilion, a backyard, a small Western-style building on the southeast side, side rooms, a front garden, and a well, covering a total area of approximately 2,500 square meters.

The main house features a hip-and-gable roof with five ridges and four slopes, five bays and six partitions, and four blue brick corner pillars. The central hall is divided into upper and lower levels. Behind the main house are four blue brick corridor pillars with four cantilevered wooden pillars. The official rooms have three levels plus an attic floor, totaling three and a half stories. The study hall is a two-story brick-concrete structure with a hanging gable roof. The gate pavilion has a three-sloped hip-and-gable roof with three stone steps. The center features a courtyard. The eastern study hall has been converted into five standard rooms, one dining room, and one kitchen.

The side rooms are built with a cantilevered gable roof and earthen structure. Century-old earthen walls are still preserved.

Architectural Features

The architectural style of Xingyuan is uniquely distinctive in southern Fujian:

1. The courtyard formed by the main house with a hip-and-gable roof differs from the more common fire-wall style residences.

2. The central hall is two stories high with a total height of 7.5 meters, while the official rooms on both sides have three stories, creating a split-level transition where the official rooms rise 2.5 meters — precisely the standard height used in modern SOHO architecture.

3. The interior is equipped with hidden passages, ensuring there are no blind spots in any room. The outer walls feature gun ports and lookout openings, along with emergency escape doors.

4. The second-floor corridor has an additional layer of cement flooring laid over the wooden floorboards. Despite being built on a soft foundation and without expansion joints, the cement has not cracked or become dusty even after a century — truly remarkable.

5. The first-floor hall features arched doorways built with blue bricks in a Southeast Asian style, incorporating elements of Western church architecture.

Cultural Significance of Xingyuan:

Liu Xueguo, the 28th-generation descendant of the Liu family in Lujiao and father of Liu Guanqiu, was known for his philanthropy throughout his life. He donated to education, volunteered to build bridges and repair roads for villagers, and was honored by then-National Government Chairman Lin Sen with a plaque inscribed “A Benevolent Gentleman of the Village,” which now hangs prominently in the central hall. Liu Xueguo’s tomb is the largest private tomb in Minqing.

2. Xingyuan was also the former residence of Liu Hanhuai, who founded the nationally renowned matchmaking service “Yanshan Magpie Bridge” and authored several books including “The Matchmaker’s Report” and “My Life Has No Blank Spaces.”

In May 2021, Xingyuan was transformed into a boutique homestay. Combining ancient architecture, leisure, and agritainment, it serves as a cultural tourism site that boosts local industry development and contributes to rural revitalization.

Address of Xingyuan Ancient Residential House: No. 360, Lujiao Village, Minqing County, Fujian Province

Type: Ancient Residential House