Wang Mingfan’s Former Residence

Wang Mingfan’s Former Residence

Wang Mingfan’s Former Residence is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Wang Mingfan’s Former Residence is located in Group 1 of Wutian Village, Dalu Township (commonly known as Fan Shangwang Bay. In ancient times, this area was a vast field where families surnamed Wang lived, hence the name “Fan Shangwang” Bay. Later, the Wang Mingfan family diverted water from Wutian Cave, five li away, to the field, and thus the place came to be called Wutian Village), about 3 km from the county seat. Also known as “Yu Yuan,” meaning large but unadorned (not a luxurious mansion). It is also called “Da Fu Di” (Residence of a Senior Official), because in 1901, Wang Mingfan was granted the fourth-rank title of “Chao Yi Da Fu” (Imperial Consultant) for his meritorious service, and the gate of the residence bears a plaque inscribed with “Da Fu Di.” It is the largest and best-preserved single Qing Dynasty residential building in Hubei Province, earning the title “No. 1 Residence in Hubei.” It is a Hubei Provincial Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit and a National Historic and Cultural Village.

Wang Mingfan’s Former Residence was first built during the Xianfeng era of the Qing Dynasty and completed in the Tongzhi period. It is one of the few remaining “county magistrate” residences in Hubei. The residence covers an area of 10,000 square meters and is divided into the old house and the main residence. The old house was built by Wang Mingfan’s father, Wang Songpo, covering 1,200 square meters. The main residence was constructed by Wang Mingfan after he retired from office and returned to his hometown, spanning 8,800 square meters. The residence faces south and is surrounded by water on three sides (Wutian Port, also known as the Jade Belt River). Its layout is roughly rectangular and arranged in a grid pattern. The first row consists of a family school and grain storage; the second row is an inner courtyard paved with bluestone slabs; the third row houses the main living quarters, the five-courtyard, eleven-bay “Da Fu Di”; the fourth row includes the backyard garden and orchard. It integrates production, daily life, workshops, a school, a garden, and storage. The residence is centered around the ancestral hall, with strictly symmetrical layouts on both sides. The building area is 3,600 square meters, featuring 11 bays on the perimeter and five courtyards in depth, each interconnected yet forming independent small courtyards. There are 32 courtyards and 64 rooms alone. The central axis is a long corridor, over 3 meters wide and more than 80 meters long, serving as a private passageway for female family members and a route to the ancestral hall. At the end of the corridor lies the Wang family ancestral shrine, adorned with carved beams and painted rafters, featuring splendid decorations. The residence is enclosed by high walls, with the “Jade Belt River” dug outside flowing alongside. On the east and west sides of the river are the “Fengyu Bridge” and “Gongcheng Bridge,” which serve as connections between the village and the outside world. To the west and rear of the residence, there is a lotus pond to the west, an orchard to the east, a bamboo grove to the south, and a backyard garden to the north. The auxiliary buildings cover an area of 3,200 square meters, mainly for servants’ residence. The ground is paved with bluestone slabs, and there are over 30 structures including a “Lecture Hall,” “Yiji Pharmacy,” stables, a mill, a weaving room, a woodshed, a kitchen, a prison cell, and utility rooms. Additionally, there are gardens, flower stands, and a theater stage.

According to historical records, Wang Mingfan’s father, Wang Songpo, was originally a farmer living in a single earthen-brick house. By the end of the Daoguang era, Wang Songpo switched to trading in ramie, becoming wealthy and establishing a merchant house dealing in promissory notes in the county town. During the Xianfeng era, Wang Songpo returned to his hometown to expand the house, now known as the old residence, locally called “Xin Wu Dao.” By the eighth year of the Xianfeng era, Wang Mingfan passed the imperial examination and became a county magistrate in Jiangxi, bringing prosperity to the Wang family. It is said that Wang Mingfan married six wives successively and had six sons and four daughters. He built a new house west of his father’s old residence. Aside from being particularly spacious (with some decoration in the theater stage and ancestral hall), the house was relatively simple and could only be considered a large residence rather than a luxurious mansion, which was quite rare at the time.

Wang Mingfan (1829–1906), courtesy name Huanruo, art name Pufu, ranked first in the county examination at age 19 and passed the imperial examination in 1858 during the Xianfeng era. He served as a provisional magistrate in Leshan, Jiangxi, and later as magistrate in Shangrao, Fengcheng, Ruichang, and Pingxiang counties in Jiangxi. In Ruichang, he “advocated the construction of a long dike to protect against floods,” and people commemorated his achievement by calling the dike “Wang Gong Di.” In Pingxiang, “the system of neighborhood watches was adopted across the province.” Although his political career was not long, he gained a good reputation and was praised by his superiors as a “capable official of Jiangxi.” In 1887, Wang returned home under the pretext of visiting ancestors’ graves, taking pleasure in teaching, gardening, and growing bamboo. During the Tongzhi era, he was conferred the honorary title of Feng Zheng Da Fu by the imperial court and was later promoted to “Chao Yi Da Fu” during the Guangxu era, enjoying the salary of a fourth-rank official until his death. This is the origin of the name “Chao Yi Da Fu Di” (Court Consultant’s Residence, or simply Da Fu Di).

It is said that after Wang Mingfan retired and returned home, his children and grandchildren paid him their respects every morning. This tradition continued until Wang Mingfan’s death in 1906, after which Yu Yuan gradually declined.

Many who have visited Wang Mingfan’s Former Residence may wonder: how could a mere seventh-rank county magistrate, even later granted the fourth-rank title of prefect, afford to build such a massive complex with his salary? Some sources claim that Wang Mingfan smuggled silver back in coffins on boats from Jiangxi multiple times. In reality, Wang Mingfan’s family had a background in the ramie trade, conducting large-scale business with specialized promissory notes circulating locally. This was the true reason behind the construction of Wang Mingfan’s Former Residence. Today, a 35-meter-long imitation ancient corridor and classical-style garden structures such as Naixin Pavilion, Ink-Washing Pool, and Fishing Terrace have been added to the site.

Wutian Village: Located in Dalu Township, Tongshan County, Wutian Village sits in the western suburbs of the county seat and south of the Xianning Highway. The nuclear highway from Tongshan to Dafan, the Xianning Highway, and the under-construction Hangrui Expressway run through the village, which is also the gateway to the national scenic area Jiugong Mountain. It is just a two-hour drive from Wuhan, offering convenient transportation. The village has 14 villager groups, 580 households, and a population of 2,606. Wutian Village is also a model village for new rural construction in the province.

Home to Wang Mingfan’s Former Residence, known as the “No. 1 Court Official Residence in Chu Tian” and commonly called Fan Shangwang, this was the residence of Wang Mingyao, a “county magistrate” of Tongshan County in the Qing Dynasty... More details on Wutian Village++

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of Hubei Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units