The Ancient Merchant Buildings of Longxikou

The Ancient Merchant Buildings of Longxikou

The Ancient Merchant Buildings of Longxikou are a cultural heritage site protected by the People's Government of Hunan Province.

The Ancient Merchant Buildings of Longxikou are located in Longxikou Community, Xinhuang Town, Xinhua County, Hunan Province, and well preserve the architectural features of ancient merchant houses and religious buildings from the late Ming Dynasty to the Republican era. There are currently 68 historic buildings. The ancient streets within the town are relatively well-preserved, with a total of 16 streets and alleys remaining in their original form, all paved with bluestone slabs. The old town has three ancient religious structures and 42 ancient merchant buildings, located along Longxikou Main Street, Guizhou Street, Fushou Street, Wanshou Street, and Binxing Street. The ancient merchant buildings are mainly distributed along Guizhou Street, Longxikou Main Street, Wanshou Street, and Fushou Street. Each of the merchant buildings in Longxikou is enclosed by firewalls on all four sides, forming a closed courtyard. Many of these courtyards contain two-story wooden buildings constructed with a traditional post-and-lintel structure. The firewalls on both sides of each courtyard often feature double horse-head gables, and the interiors include courtyards, peace vats, and colorful paintings on the wall tops. The wooden structures and doors/windows inside the courtyards are often adorned with exquisite carvings.

The Longxikou Ancient Merchant Buildings are primarily composed of old shops, including ancestral halls and longevity halls. The streets and alleys of the ancient merchant complex are crisscrossed and all paved with bluestone slabs.

Further Reading:

· Ninth Batch of Cultural Heritage Sites Protected by Hunan Province