The Xie Family Residence in Old Min County

The Xie Family Residence in Old Min County

The Xie Family Residence in Old Min County is a cultural heritage site protected by Gulou District.

The Xie Family Residence in Old Min County

Located at Old Min County, Dongjie, Gulou District, Fuzhou City, and built during the Qing Dynasty, the Xie Family Residence is enclosed by walls on three sides, has a single-entry, single-story layout, and features a post-and-lintel wooden frame with a double-sloped roof. It has a grand double gate facing east, and to the south of the entrance hall there is a rockery and fish pond. Passing through the stone-framed main gate leads to a row of five rooms that are oriented north-south. The front courtyard is 5 meters deep and 9.2 meters wide, planted with camellias, jasmine, and other flowers. The main hall is a row of five rooms, 27.8 meters wide and 17.7 meters deep, with a roof wooden framework featuring intricately carved dougong (brackets), pillars, arches, and supports that interlock elegantly. The hall is flanked by latticed windows on both sides, forming various floral patterns with their openwork designs. The four wing rooms in front have twelve lift-and-slide windows, all exquisitely crafted. In front of and behind the hall are more than twenty large stone slabs, up to 80 centimeters wide and over 10 meters long; there are also 30 large wooden pillars, with bluestone bases adorned with bas-reliefs of eight steeds, the twelve zodiac animals, and more. Virtually all elements — doors, windows, latticed screens, partition doors, the main gate, and even the lamp brackets — are made of nanmu (a precious wood). At the center of the plastered walls in both the front and rear halls hangs a sculpted “Fu” (福, meaning “blessing”) character, three feet in diameter, encircled by three bats each, creating a harmonious design. The ceiling is decorated with colorful molded scenes such as “The Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea,” “Liu Hai Fishing for the Toad,” and “Two Lions Playing with a Ball.” To the west, there is a door leading to the flower hall, a small but exquisitely designed space that originally served as the family’s study. The entire residence retains its original layout and architectural style. It was designated as a district-level cultural heritage site in 1992.