Ancient Architectural Complex of Zhongtian Village

Ancient Architectural Complex of Zhongtian Village

The ancient architectural complex of Zhongtian Village is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The ancient architectural complex of Zhongtian is located in Zhongtian Village, Miaoqian Town, Changning City. It was initially built in the late Ming Dynasty and gradually took shape during the Kangxi and Qianlong eras of the Qing Dynasty. To date, over 100 ancient buildings remain, along with more than 200 courtyards, 108 lanes, covering an area of 38,000 square meters. The entire complex faces south and is built with brick and tile structures. The carvings are exquisite, the layout is neat, and the scale is majestic. Nearby, there are also immovable cultural heritage sites such as a cluster of Han Dynasty tombs from the Eastern Han period; cliff inscriptions at Jinlongyan from the Ming Dynasty; and the battle site of the Laya Pass defense during the Anti-Japanese War. In 2002, it was designated as a County-Level Cultural Relics Protection Unit by the People’s Government of Changning City, and in 2011, it was listed as a Provincial-Level Cultural Relics Protection Unit by the People’s Government of Hunan Province.

The ancient buildings in the village hold extremely high research, historical, and architectural art value. The cultural connotations revealed by the remnants of the ancient architectural complex are not only rich in information, but also rank first in Hunan in terms of military defensibility, the quantity and integrity of ancient stone lanes. Here, a large number of Ming Dynasty architectural components are of great preservation value, as well as high ornamental and research significance.

The ancient residential complex of Zhongtian Village was first built in the second year of the Yongle era (1404), and has a history of over 600 years. It is the best-preserved and largest ancient Ming and Qing architectural complex in Hunan Province. The founding ancestor of the village, Fuwulang, was a military official. In the second year of the Hongwu era (1369) of the Ming Dynasty, he was transferred from Chaling to guard Guiyang Prefecture (now Guiyang County), and later was stationed in Changning from Guiyang. In the second year of the Yongle era (1404), he was ordered to implement military farming in Changning to develop production. Having fought in battles for many years and achieved numerous merits, upon returning home in glory, he was drawn to this beautiful land of lush mountains and clear waters, so he invested heavily in construction, settled here, married, and had children. His son, Ronggong, married a woman surnamed Lei and had a first son, Jigong, who established the branch in Xiamati — now Zhongtian... In 1690, during the 28th year of the Kangxi era, Zhongtian was incorporated under the jurisdiction of Guiyang, and in 1736, the first year of the Qianlong era, it was placed under the administration of Changning. Since then, descendants have multiplied, living together as a clan for over 600 years across more than 40 generations.

The ancient architectural complex of Zhongtian Village can be compared to Zhang Guying Village in Yueyang. It faces north and is grand and neatly planned. It features no corridors or eaves, yet has exquisite carvings, and its drainage system connects every household, forming an independent network. Construction began in the second year of the Yongle era and gradually took shape by the mid-Qing Dynasty. At its peak, the residential complex housed over 800 households, most of them surnamed Li — an extremely rare sight in rural China.

On October 7, 2019, the ancient architectural complex of Zhongtian Village was included in the eighth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Zhongtian Village: Zhongtian Village...... More details about Zhongtian Village++

Further Reading:

· Ninth Batch of Hunan Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Eighth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units