The Laosiyai Ancient Dwellings

The Laosiyai Ancient Dwellings

The Laosiyai Ancient Dwellings are a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Hunan Province.

The Laosiyai Ancient Dwellings are an ancient architectural complex of the Tujia ethnic group in western Hunan. Located in Hongshilin Town, Guzhang County, Hunan Province, they were built during the Qing Dynasty and represent one of the better-preserved ancient Tujia residential complexes in the region. On May 19, 2002, the People's Government of Hunan Province designated them as a provincial-level cultural heritage site, with the reference number 72-31.

Laosiyai is an abandoned ancient town on the banks of the You River. Its villages and settlements form one of the more intact ancient Tujia residential complexes from the Ming and Qing dynasties in western Hunan. It was once an important water wharf connecting the ancient Laosicheng to the outside world and enjoyed a period of prosperity. Surviving structures include a three-li-long flagstone-paved ancient street, a Qing Dynasty well, shops, three quadrangle courtyards, gardens, a private school, as well as the Fubo Palace and stone tablets built during the Xianfeng era of the Qing Dynasty. There are also many ancient folk artifacts such as spinning wheels, grain measures, pestles and mortars, tung oil lamps, "three-drop-water" beds, and chests. The stone carvings, window lattices, and door lintels in the architecture feature exquisite patterns and craftsmanship, all remarkably well-preserved, and are considered masterpieces of ancient Tujia art.

Laosiyai has long been a strategic passage from the west to Bashu and from the north to Hunan and Hubei, surrounded on its east, north, and west sides by the You River. It also served as a military outpost for the eight-hundred-year-old Tusi kingdom of western Hunan. During the Ming Dynasty, due to its advantageous location, merchants gathered here, leading to gradual prosperity. At its peak, the village had a population of up to 5,000 people, earning it the nickname “Little Nanjing” because of its bustling activity. A local folk rhyme goes: “Zhang with his three thousand, Mi with his eight hundred, and a cloaked guest arrived at the Huang family’s.” From the mid-Qing Dynasty onward, Laosiyai produced many notable figures, most notably Huang Ruchen, who was the wealthiest along the You River. His properties extended to Sichuan, Guizhou, and Hubei provinces, and he was granted the title “Sealed Lord” by Emperor Qianlong, exempting him from taxes and labor duties. Respected by his neighbors for his immense wealth and philanthropy, he was called “Lord Ruchen.” However, after three successive “heavenly fires,” his family fortunes gradually declined.

Architectural Layout

Among the ancient dwellings in Laosiyai, western Hunan, there are two Ming and Qing-era houses known as the “Bauhinia Houses,” which have become eye-catching highlights. These two “Bauhinia Houses” are located in Zhangjiawan Group, Laosiyai Village, Qiatong Township, Guzhang County, and were built during the Ming and Qing periods respectively, both featuring wooden structures. Unlike ordinary houses, a horizontal “second beam” spans above the main entrance of each. Locals refer to one of the Bauhinia Houses as the “Old House,” as it is the oldest in the village. Many Tujia ancestors from northwestern Hunan claim descent from this Old House. The Old House is a quadrangle courtyard with a strong traditional aura, featuring exquisitely carved stone pillars, uniquely designed window lattices throughout the courtyard—all beautifully crafted—and floors, steps, and courtyards paved with blue and red strip stones. The words “A Hundred Blessings Converge, A Thousand Auspicious Clouds Gather” are inscribed on the second beam, accompanied by finely carved patterns that remain clearly visible despite the passage of time, with bright paint colors still intact.

According to local elders, the other five-pillar-eight-beam Bauhinia House was built by Huang Ruchen—the wealthiest man along the You River during the Qianlong era—for his gardener. The “second beam” of this house features a painted Taiji diagram, flanked by an inscription in regular script: “Renewed in Splendor, the Chamber Beautified.” The six-panel doors are adorned with uniformly exquisite window lattices.

Cultural Significance

According to the "Continuation of Wu's Harmonious Records" by Wu Jun of the Liang Dynasty during the Southern Dynasties: The three brothers Tian Zhen, Tian Qing, and Tian Guang of the Han Dynasty decided to divide their family property, including splitting the bauhinia tree in their courtyard into three parts. The next day, when they went to cut the tree, it had withered. Seeing this, Tian Zhen said to his brothers, “The tree heard it was to be divided into three and withered itself. People are truly not as good as trees.” Deeply moved, the brothers decided not to divide the family, and miraculously, the bauhinia tree came back to life. Since then, the bauhinia has been used as a metaphor for the deep bond among siblings. The original builders of these houses likely intended to encourage unity, mutual support, and striving for success among future generations.