Ancient Ming and Qing architectural complex

Ancient Ming and Qing architectural complex

The ancient Ming and Qing architectural complex is a cultural tourism attraction.

The ancient Ming and Qing architectural complex is mainly concentrated along the eastern section of Yiqian Street, consisting of over forty individual historic buildings. These include ancestral halls and family temples of various clans, mansions and villas of high-ranking officials and nobles, merchant shops and workshops, as well as over ten stone inscriptions and plaques left behind by literati. With their towering walls, deep courtyards, upturned eaves, winding paths leading to serene spots, multi-courtyard layouts, and exquisitely crafted wood carvings, brick carvings, and stone carvings that are both rustic and lifelike, these structures are considered among the finest examples of Ming and Qing architecture in southern China. The complex boasts a profound cultural heritage and provides tangible evidence for the study of Ming and Qing society, ideology, culture, and folk customs. Here is a brief introduction to a few of the buildings:

"Kui Bi Lian Hui" (Auspicious Light from Paired Walls): Also known as the Seven-Hall Courtyard, this is a residential building from the Qing Dynasty. It features two courtyards of different sizes, eleven skylights, and thirty-two rooms spread across seven sections, covering an area of 1,582 square meters. Its stone and wood carvings depict patterns such as lotus flowers, ancient coins, phoenixes, and the Four Treasures of the Study, all exquisitely crafted. "Qing Xi Fu Yuan" (Pure Breath of the Fu River Source): Legend has it that this was the family villa of Lai Xun, an official from the Ming Dynasty who served as the Surveillance Commissioner of Yunnan. Facing south, the structure is built in the shape of an ancient official boat, constructed against the water flow, and features a double-eaved pavilion-style roof. It covers an area of 540 square meters. The building uses a post-and-lintel construction method and includes several large and small halls and over thirty side rooms. The caisson ceiling is painted with intertwined peony motifs, while other eave boards are carved with patterns of flowing clouds, flowers, and figures.

"Shi Wu Li" (Stone House) Residence: Originally built in the third year of the Ming Dynasty's Xuande era (1428), its doorstep, shrine, house pillars, screen wall, eaves, gate tower, and even the floor are all made from smooth, fine-grained square stones, hence the name "Stone House." The residence extends through three courtyards and covers an area of 1,075 square meters. The stone gate tower is carved with patterns such as "Double Phoenixes Facing the Sun," "Dragon and Phoenix Bringing Prosperity," and "Fortune, Prosperity, Longevity, and Happiness." The stone pillar bases are also engraved with auspicious motifs including lions, elephants, deer, cranes, lotuses, as well as the Four Treasures of the Study. The building’s craftsmanship is exquisite, its style unique, and it is truly one of a kind.

"Jin Shi Di" (Residence of the Jinshi Official): This official residence belonged to Lai Jin, who served as the Prefect of Binzhou during the Qing Dynasty. Facing east, the residence covers an area of 449.5 square meters, and the plaque above its gate tower is inscribed with "Jin Shi Di."

Jiangxi Fuzhou City