The Ji Family Residence

The Ji Family Residence

The Ji Family Residence is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Ji Family Residence

The Ji Family Residence (National Fourth Batch Cultural Relics Protection Unit)

Era: Yuan Dynasty

Address: Located in Chenjia Town, 18 kilometers northeast of Gaoping City

Also known as the Ji Family Ancestral House, it is the oldest discovered residential building in China to date.

It faces south and is built on a 0.42-meter-high sandstone platform. The structure has a rectangular layout, with three bays in width and six rafters in depth, and a flush-gable roof. The pitch of the roof is gently sloped. The roof is covered with flat tiles. The central bay features a door, whose inner frame is inset inward by half a bay, aligning horizontally with the inner column row, and is fitted with a panel door adorned with five rows of six door studs each. The side bays have windows set into the window sills, with lattice-patterned window grilles. Except for the four front columns that are exposed, all other columns are embedded within the walls. The exposed columns and their bases are made of sandstone. The bases are plain, inverted-bowl shaped, while the columns themselves are square with chamfered corners, each chamfer featuring an outwardly convex curve. The column capitals are uncut, with distinct entasis and slight inclination. The bracket sets are positioned directly above the columns, and the arches of the bracket arms are shallow. The rafters are arranged in a simple order. The purlins and rafters are distinctly tiered. The wooden components show clear regional characteristics. The beams are supported beneath the eaves, and large brackets are used at the ends. The mortise-and-tenon joints are finely crafted, and the materials used are mostly natural timber without paint. The craftsmanship exhibits a simple and robust style.

An inscription on the left door socket reads: “In the 31st year of the Zhiyuan era of the Great Yuan, in the middle of the jiawu year, the Ji family residence was established. Stone mason: Feng [surname] from Tiandang Commandery, Feng [surname], Feng [surname]...” This indicates that the owner’s surname was Ji, the construction year was the 31st year of Zhiyuan in the Yuan Dynasty (1294 AD), making it over 700 years old to date.

Read more:

· Fourth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units