The Three Lanes and Seven Alleys and the Zhu Zi Fang Architectural Complex

The Three Lanes and Seven Alleys and the Zhu Zi Fang Architectural Complex

The Three Lanes and Seven Alleys and the Zhu Zi Fang Architectural Complex are listed as Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level.

Located in the southwestern part of the old city area of Fuzhou, Fujian Province. The three lanes are Yijin Lane, Wenru Lane, and Guanglu Lane, while the seven alleys are Yangqiao Alley, Langguan Lane, Ta Lane, Huang Lane, Anmin Lane, Gong Lane, and Jibi Lane. The Three Lanes and Seven Alleys were built during the period when Wang Shenzhi, the King of Min during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, constructed the Luocheng walled city. Today, about 300 Ming and Qing dynasty buildings remain. The residences typically have three to five courtyards, with some extending up to eleven, featuring fireproof walls known as "horse saddle walls." The residential compounds follow the late Tang tradition of segmented wall construction, all surrounded by high, thick brick or earthen walls. The walls follow the contours of the wooden roof frames in a streamlined shape, with upturned eaves extending beyond the houses, resembling horse saddles—hence the name "horse saddle walls."

Zhu Zi Fang was a hub for naval families in modern times and was home to notable naval figures such as Sa Zhenbing, Sa Shijun, Fang Boqian, and Fang Ying. The former residence of Fang Boqian was initially built in the early Qing dynasty on the site of the residence of the Song dynasty brothers Zhu Minguo and Zhu Minong (both three-time successful imperial examination candidates), featuring three courtyards and one flower hall, with a screen wall in front. The first courtyard has a hall that is five bays wide and seven pillars deep, utilizing a post-and-lintel timber structure with reduced columns, and a double-sloped roof. The main hall covers an area of 100 square meters. The third courtyard faces south and is a two-story ancient building from the Ming dynasty. Within the lane, the Sa family compound is the ancestral home of Sa Zhenbing, a Qing dynasty naval official, and is one of the better-preserved ancient buildings in the urban area. Originally built in the Ming dynasty, it covers an area of 2,080 square meters and has five courtyards. Just the first courtyard features exquisitely carved wooden components above the columns, such as brackets and roof frames, all well preserved. The doors, partitions, and window lattices of the side rooms in the main hall are made of nanmu wood and intricately carved. In front of the flower hall, there is an artificial hill, a fish pond, pavilions, and towers. The flower hall houses ten finely crafted nanmu screens, each engraved with one of 108 different patterns.

Further Reading:

· Sixth Batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level