Former Residences of Yang Luchan and Wu Yuxiang

Former Residences of Yang Luchan and Wu Yuxiang

The former residences of Yang Luchan and Wu Yuxiang are protected cultural heritage sites under the jurisdiction of Hebei Province.

The former residence of Yang Luchan is located in the southern part of Guangfu Ancient City. It was originally built in the late Qing Dynasty. The original structure was divided into northern and southern sections. The northern section served as residential quarters, featuring main rooms and auxiliary rooms, while the southern section functioned as shop space. The total area covered 980 square meters. The northern courtyard was 14 meters long from north to south and 25 meters wide from east to west, occupying 350 square meters, and included nine tiled rooms (six in the north and three in the east); the southern courtyard was 45 meters wide from east to west and 14 meters long from north to south, covering 630 square meters, and originally had ten rooms and four open sheds, which were destroyed in earlier years.

In 1991, following the first Hebei–Yongnian International Tai Chi Friendship Conference, in order to promote tai chi culture and protect historical relics, the government of Guangfu Town proposed, and the Yongnian County Government decided, to restore Yang Luchan’s former residence. A preparatory committee for the restoration was established. Construction began in October 1993 on the original site, involving reconstruction and expansion. The project was completed in April 1995, and in 2000, it was listed as a provincial-level cultural heritage site. The restored residence covers an area of 1,361.6 square meters, with a total construction area of 449.49 square meters. The entire complex faces west and is arranged along an east-west axis. It consists of two courtyards, larger in scale and built to higher standards than the original. It features corridors, exposed pillars, traditional-style doors and windows, and lattice partitions.

In front of the residence lies a square. Above the main gate hangs a black wooden plaque inscribed with the five large characters “杨露禅故居” (Yang Luchan’s Former Residence), written by Ouyang Zhongshi, Vice Chairman of the Chinese Calligraphers Association. The front courtyard is a Qing Dynasty-style siheyuan (courtyard house), featuring a main three-room building on the east side, three rooms each on the north and south side wings, and a five-room tea room on the west side with street gates on both the north and south. Inside the central hall of the east main room stands a half-length statue of Yang Luchan, flanked by a couplet that reads: “Glory shines everywhere; reflections on the past run deep,” with the horizontal inscription “The Profound Breadth of Yongnian Tai Chi.” On either side of the lattice partitions hang portraits of Yang Banhou, Yang Jianhou, Yang Shaohou, and Yang Chengfu, along with genealogical charts of the Yang family and disciples, and materials on legendary stories. The north and south side rooms serve as exhibition halls, equipped with display cabinets showcasing clothing, books, manuscripts, weapons, and other items belonging to the pioneers of Yang-style tai chi. The walls feature framed displays with biographies of Yang-style tai chi masters, photos of postures, theoretical writings, anecdotes, and more. The rear courtyard houses a martial arts training hall and serves as a venue for activities of the Yang-style Tai Chi Research Association. It is a place for discussing tai chi theory, exchanging skills, teaching, and passing on the art. The courtyard is paved with blue bricks, neat and spacious, and planted with cypress, holly, and roses. The seven-room north building is 21.3 meters long from east to west, featuring corridors and exposed pillars. Ten rooms to the south form a stele corridor, stretching 19.7 meters from east to west, with 21 bluestone tablets erected during the restoration of Yang Luchan’s residence. Additionally, there are facilities such as a dining room and restrooms.

To the east of the residence lies the 600-acre “Water Tai Chi Labyrinth,” where water and reeds intermingle, fish and shrimp thrive, and wild geese and birds play, creating beautiful scenery. Every year, numerous visitors and tai chi enthusiasts from around the world come here to tour, explore, and pay homage to their roots, making it a sacred site revered by tai chi practitioners globally.

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of Protected Cultural Heritage Sites of Hebei Province