The Ancient Architectural Complex of the Wu Family Courtyard

The Ancient Architectural Complex of the Wu Family Courtyard

The Ancient Architectural Complex of the Wu Family Courtyard is a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Hunan Province.

The Wu Family Courtyard is located in Banqiao Village, Lijiaoping Township, Shuangpai County. It was initially built during the Ming Dynasty, with its main structures constructed in that era. Covering an area of over 40 acres, the complex has a total floor space of more than 4,000 square meters.

The overall architectural layout of the Wu Family Courtyard is divided into three parts: the front courtyard, which includes "Bacui Xuan" and "Lü’e Qi Hui", and the rear courtyard (the ancestral home). "Bacui Xuan" and "Lü’e Qi Hui" are connected and built on the left and right sides respectively, forming a unified structure. There are three main halls and twelve rooms in this section. On either side of the halls, there are narrow alleyways paved with bluestone slabs, each about 1.8 meters wide. To the left of the main hall lies "Lü’e Qi Hui", which includes four halls and sixteen rooms. To the right of the main hall is "Bacui Xuan", featuring one hall used for running a school and receiving guests. Behind "Bacui Xuan" (i.e., the rear courtyard) is the ancestral home, originally built by the ancestors of Wu Jingyun (a provincial-level official), roughly forty years before "Bacui Xuan". This section consists of four buildings and thirty-two rooms. All the ancient structures are made of brick and wood, with gray-tiled roofs, upturned eaves, and carvings of dragons and phoenixes, all exuding an antique charm. To the left of the front courtyard, towering ancient trees provide shade, and an octagonal pavilion stands nearby. At the front is an artificial “Moon Pond”, waist-deep and crystal clear, surrounded by lush bamboo.

In 2011, it was designated as a provincial-level cultural heritage site by the People’s Government of Hunan Province.

Lijiaoping Township: Originally part of the Che’tou People’s Commune in Dao County, Lijiaoping Township was established as a separate commune in 1961 after being carved out from Che’tou. In March 1978, it was placed under the jurisdiction of Shuangpai County. The township government is stationed in Lijiaoping Village. The township currently administers 12 administrative villages, with a total population of 16,000. Lijiaoping Township is situated in the southern part of Shuangpai County, at the foot of Yishan Ridge in the Dupang Mountain Range, on the western bank of the middle reaches of the Xiaoshui River. It borders Baima in Dao County to the east, Meihua Town in Dao County to the south, Dagu Ping Forest Farm to the west, and Jiangcun Town to the north. Covering a total area of 79.9 square kilometers, the terrain is mainly hilly and plain, making it an important... More details about Lijiaoping Township++

Further Reading:

· Ninth Batch of Provincial Cultural Heritage Sites in Hunan Province