The Qingxi Ancient Residential Complex

The Qingxi Ancient Residential Complex

The Qingxi Ancient Residential Complex is a cultural heritage site protected by Hunan Province.

The Qingxi Ancient Residential Complex is located in the northeastern corner of Chengbu Miao Autonomous County, about 10 kilometers from the county seat. Historically, this area held significant political prominence. The Yang clan of Chengbu produced many renowned military figures. According to incomplete statistics, over fifty high-ranking officers originated from here since the Song Dynasty.

According to the *Yang Family Genealogy*, the founding ancestor of Qingxi was Yang Yingkui, the sixth-generation descendant of Yang Zaisi. In the first year of the Kaixing era of the Southern Song Dynasty (1259), he began as a student scholar and served as the patrol inspector of Lianhe in Sui County. Later, he settled in Qingxi, where his descendants thrived and formed a residential village. The village is home to approximately 1,500 households with a population of over 2,150, of which around 80% are ethnic Miao, mostly surnamed Yang, while Han and other minority groups make up about 20%. The village preserves over 110 well-maintained ancient residences from the Ming and Qing dynasties, including 18 intact courtyard complexes. The village covers a total area of about 350,000 square meters, with a total built-up area of approximately 42,000 square meters.

The ancient residences in Qingxi are mostly single-family courtyard homes, typically two or three bays deep, consisting of a front yard, main hall, central room, and side wings, with three to five bays in width. The structures primarily feature post-and-lintel wooden frameworks, though some combine both post-and-lintel and raised-beam construction techniques. Central buildings often have gable-and-hip roofs, while those along the walls use flush-gable roofs. Except for the two main columns of the central hall, which stand on stone bases, all wooden pillars rest on stone pedestals — a distinctive feature of Qingxi’s ancient homes. The central hall usually has six-panel partition doors, with the upper sections adorned with carved floral patterns and the lower sections left flat. The door panels are intricately carved with symbols of fortune, prosperity, longevity, and happiness, along with vivid depictions of flowers and birds. The floors are mainly paved with lime-soil mortar and square blue bricks, while the verandas and courtyards feature cobblestone mosaics in patterns like concentric circles and willow leaf motifs. These elements reflect the refined cultural taste and aesthetic sensibilities of Qingxi’s early inhabitants, showcasing the religious, artistic, and cultural depth of the Miao people, and stand as a prime example of ancient Miao residential architecture in southwestern Hunan.

Further Reading:

· Ninth Batch of Cultural Heritage Sites Protected by Hunan Province