The Ancient Chongfeng Mansion in Liankeping, Taiping Town

The Ancient Chongfeng Mansion in Liankeping, Taiping Town

The Ancient Chongfeng Mansion in Liankeping, Taiping Town

In the beautiful village of Liankeping, Taiping Town, Lingshan County, covering an area of about 12 hectares, the land was originally a vast grassy plain. Its terrain is poetically described as “a celestial being lying on their back.” The meandering Taiping River embraces the village from the west to the east, while the land rises and falls gently from the southwest to the northeast, featuring several large interconnected ponds. Thus, when the village site was first established during the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty, it was named Lianwo Ping (Connected Ponds Flat). It wasn’t until the completion of the Chongfeng Mansion in the 20th year of the Daoguang reign (1844) that the name was changed to Lianke Ping (Connected Ponds Flat). The Chongfeng Mansion faces southeast and is situated at the “celestial being’s chest.” The crescent-shaped pond in front of the mansion represents the “celestial being’s navel,” surrounded by ancient lychee trees that cluster like royal parasols. At the southwestern end, the mountain ridge at the riverbank serves as the “celestial being’s head,” covered in lush pines and sand pear trees, facing across the river the vividly shaped Shamao Ridge (Sandal Hat Ridge). The terrain branches at the silkworm breeding area to the northeast. Below the “celestial being’s hips” are terraced rice paddies that descend progressively, with a babbling brook flowing gracefully through the picturesque fields. The “left foot” rests upon the “celestial being’s sash”—the Taiping River—stretching directly toward the green, pine-shaded Longtou Ridge, with mulberry and bamboo groves swaying along the riverside. The “right foot” is slightly bent, resting at the edge of Jiutu Ridge, where clusters of crabapple trees create a sea of green. To the north, Tianjing Ridge and Ying Ridge rise and fall like curtains and drapes, while in the distance, the dark-hued Qingwo Ridge stands like a grand screen. The pristine natural environment of Liankeping remains serene and lively with birdsong and blooming flowers all year round. Though transcendent and otherworldly, it enjoys convenient transportation and does not feel remote. Visitors praise it as a hidden Shangri-La deep in the backyard of Nanning, the capital of Guangxi, and liken the Chongfeng Mansion to an exhibition hall of late Qing dynasty residential culture—not because of its grand scale, majestic presence, or luxurious ornamentation, but due to the profound folk culture it embodies and the traditional Chinese cultural spirit it exudes.

Cultural Background

The owners of the Chongfeng Mansion, the Qiu family (pronounced “Qiu” as in “seek”), are said to be descendants of the Qiuwu clan, feudal lords of the Xia Dynasty, originating from Chenliu, Henan. What can be historically verified is that before the Qiu family settled in this “hometown of Chinese lychees,” their lineage—clear and traceable—dates back thirteen generations. Their so-called “Song Dynasty founding ancestor” passed the imperial examination to become a magistrate, then relocated from Hanshan, Anhui, to Zhujixiang, Nanxiong, Guangdong. Later, legend has it that due to Chancellor Jia Sidao forcing Emperor Duzong of Song to compel Concubine Hu to become a nun, she resisted and hid in a certain Huang household. A fleeing slave of the Huangs revealed her whereabouts, and the Minister of War ordered strict relocation of local residents to erase traces of her. The Qiu family then moved to Wangchen Township, Gaoyao County, Zhaoqing Prefecture, where they lived through the Southern Song, Yuan, and Ming dynasties. The twelfth-generation ancestor served as the county historian of Lingshan County during the late Ming Dynasty and died in office. The thirteenth-generation ancestor, Qiu Ziqi (1613–1675), came to Ling upon hearing the news, escorted the coffin back, and accepted the suggestion of the Ling County magistrate to inherit his father’s position, being appointed as the county historian of Luchuan County, Guangxi, and later taking up the acting position of Nanning Prefect through donation. He was promoted for his merit in suppressing bandits to become the military supervisor of Nanning Road. After the Manchu forces entered the pass, he wandered for years, raising funds and training troops in support of the Southern Ming Prince Yongming. Realizing the irreversible tide of history, he retired to Songtai Village, Xixiang, Ling County (then part of Guangdong), married Madam Lai, and started a family. In the 11th year of the Shunzhi reign (1672), Li Dingguo of the Southern Ming took the route through Ling to capture Gaozhou and Lianzhou in Guangdong, resisting the Qing government, and summoned him to join, but he declined. In the 12th year of the Kangxi reign (1673), Wu Sangui rebelled against the Qing, declared himself ruler of the Zhou dynasty, and sent him an appointment decree, trying both persuasion and threats. Qiu Ziqi firmly refused, declaring, “I know only the Ming, not the Zhou,” and hid in the deep mountains, but was ultimately killed by Wu Sangui’s men. His eldest son, Qiu Bozhang, born to his first wife Tan from Gaoyao County, traveled three times to find his stepmother Madam Lai and half-siblings hiding in Tandong Village, and eventually settled in Songtai Village. From then on, the Qiu family of Taiping split into four branches—the eldest, second, third, and fourth—and the Liankeping branch is descended from the fourth. In the 12th year of the Daoguang reign (1832), Qiu Hui zhong purchased the land in Liankeping to build the Chongfeng Mansion. After twenty years of construction, he moved here with his family of twelve from Liangmei Village (originally called Lingmei Village). By 1929, the population had reached 95 over seventy-five years. Seventy-five years later, in 2004, the registered residents numbered 213.

Qiu Hui Zhong (1788–1861), styled Jiao Zhi, also known as Naxuan. He lost his father at age eight and excelled in childhood studies, often ranking top in the preliminary examinations. After his mother’s death, domestic duties kept him from entering the county Confucian school. In the 21st year of the Jiaqing reign (1816), he obtained the status of a supervised student through donation and was nominated as a candidate for the garrison commander. In the 16th year of the Daoguang reign, he was granted the hereditary title of Wude Qiju by the emperor. The *Lingshan County Annals* describe him as benevolent and literary-minded. He advocated for the construction of the Great Stone Bridge and the Three Emperors Temple in Taiping Market, and co-founded the “Character Respect Society” with the education official Zhang Yongyuan. He willingly engaged in good deeds without hesitation. Elected as the village head due to his fairness, he would gather his nephews each day to explain his reasoning in detail, earning the reverence of villagers as if he were a deity. He lived to be seventy-four.

Traditional Architecture

The original Chongfeng Mansion had 108 rooms, covering an area of 6,000 square meters. The main structure follows a “three rows and nine” layout with five courtyards deep (each courtyard consisting of a main hall, small courtyard, and outer corridor, with nine rooms per row). In the 25th year of the Daoguang reign (1849), four corner watchtowers were added to the mansion to guard against the Tiandihui secret society. After the Qing government suppressed the Taiping Rebellion and reinstated the imperial examinations in the 3rd year of the Tongzhi reign (1864), a study hall called Xuexi Zhai was built outside the rear wall. In November 1939, when Japanese invaders landed in Qinzhou, additional partition walls were constructed in some rooms to guard against warfare. Today, over 70 rooms still retain their original appearance.

The Chongfeng Mansion is a traditional building with the unique style of Han-style residences in southern China. It extends depth-wise with courtyards and expands horizontally. Tall walls enclose the structure for isolation from the outside. The first and second halls both feature a “three-bay, two-wing” layout (three main rooms and two wing rooms) and a “one bright, two dark” arrangement (one central hall and two side rooms), with the side rooms serving as the upper chambers. The center of the first hall is the ancestral hall, which serves as the central axis connecting the halls of the second, third, and fourth buildings. The second hall centers around the women’s hall, off-limits to outsiders and male servants. The third hall, with three bays, is a reception area with exquisite materials and grand furnishings, featuring tall lattice doors, wide eaves, and spacious corridors—bright and solemn. Each of these halls is flanked by a courtyard with surrounding corridors, serving as living quarters for family members with clear hierarchical distinctions and their own private spaces. Movement between courtyards does not require passing through the main halls, creating harmony while maintaining individual character.

On either side of the courtyard between the third and fourth halls, the parapet walls align with the roof eaves. The first small courtyard on each side features paired corridor rooms. The front and rear sections follow the “three-bay, two-wing” and “one bright, two dark” layouts, representing classic examples of men’s and women’s sitting rooms. The front one, called the Siting (Male Hall), serves as the master’s study and VIP reception suite. The front lattice doors feature exquisite shallow and openwork carvings, allowing filtered light through the panels. The front eave corridor connects to the third hall and side courtyards, exuding an elegant atmosphere. The women’s exclusive sitting room, called the Huating (Flower Hall), also known as the Reverse Hall, is connected via small eave corridors to the fourth hall and inner courtyard, offering a tranquil ambiance. A latticed screen wall with a leaky window separates the two sitting rooms. On the side facing the Siting, there is a goldfish pond symbolizing a man’s rise to success, while on the Huating side, a flower stand signifies the fragrance of noble virtues within the female quarters. Both corridor rooms are divided into two sections, each with a small gable door at the ends. The left corridor near the Siting is a “character-respect room” for storing discarded drafts and paper, while the one near the Huating is a water-boiling room. Though functionally different, their steps allow access between the two halls, balancing separation and connection. Following the old custom of “men not entering the kitchen, women not entering the Siting,” each space maintains its own charm, contributing to a harmonious and well-rounded household.

The passageway of the fourth hall is fitted with a screen door, usually kept closed to avoid the setting sun—only opened for major events or honored guests to “open the central gate” and welcome blessings, creating a solemn yet regulated atmosphere. The space between the fourth and fifth halls is the front courtyard, once off-limits to outsiders without invitation. On both sides of the main gate of the fourth hall, granite horse-tethering stones are embedded at chest height. The fifth hall is a reverse corridor without a gatehouse, flanked by gatekeeper rooms beside the wall-style gate. This design reflects the owner’s open-minded dignity, balance of civil and martial virtues, and the deeper hope for future generations to achieve academic success and expand the family’s prestige. Further out on both sides are auxiliary courtyards for miscellaneous tasks. The wall has five gates, echoing the concept of “Five Generations of Honor” and making the residence resemble a pastoral poem of harmony between humans and nature.