Longshi Mountain Villa in Pingshan

Longshi Mountain Villa in Pingshan

Longshi Mountain Villa is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Longshi Mountain Villa is situated in Yanmen Village, Dacheng Town, Pingshan County, Yibin, at a place called "Qilongeng," lying within the triangular region where the Jinsha River and Min River basins converge. With a history of over 180 years, the villa spans 5,000 square meters in area and 3,750 square meters in built-up space. It faces west to east and features a pin-shaped structure composed of six courtyard complexes. Built along the mountain terrain and arranged in a terraced formation, its grand entrance stands tall and imposing, with staggered fire walls and a remaining watchtower that adds unique charm. It is a classic example of Huizhou-style architecture, and its scale is considered a model of Huizhou-style buildings in southern China.

The construction of Longshi Mountain Villa began in the second year of the Tongzhi era of the Qing Dynasty, with completion in the early years of the Guangxu era. In July 1982, it was designated as a Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit of Pingshan County by the Pingshan County People's Government; in May 2002, it was listed as a Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit of Yibin City by the Yibin Municipal People's Government; and in June 2007, it was declared a Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit by the Sichuan Provincial People's Government.

The main gate of Longshi Mountain Villa is designed in a pin-shaped connected wall structure, featuring a stone-carved couplet: "The family business continues the noble legacy; Auspiciousness gathers in the phoenix tower; Imperial words and silk ribbons bestow boundless grace; Blessings fill the Dragon Gate." The horizontal plaque reads: "Grace Inherits the Sacred Site." From the couplet, one can glimpse the history of Longshi Mountain Villa and the glory of its owners. Looking away from the gate, you’ll see mountains all around and terraced fields embracing the area, offering an extremely expansive view. Facing the gate, looking upward from below, you can see through all four gates of the villa’s four-tiered courtyards.

Upon entering the main gate of the villa, the first courtyard houses the stage for the opera house. Though the opera house has long since disappeared and we can no longer witness its former splendor, historical records show it was supported by eight pillars, with two particularly prominent large stone pillars at the front. The stage was 2.6 meters high, 5.56 meters wide, and 4.4 meters long—truly magnificent. Treading on the overgrown weeds, we can only sigh in regret for the lost opera house. However, to our delight, two large, exquisitely carved reliefs are embedded in the walls of the front courtyard. Each wall features twelve patterns, with skilled craftsmanship and fine carvings depicting the "Twenty-Four Filial Exemplars" in deep relief, representing masterpieces of the early Qing Dynasty.

The ground floor of the front courtyard was once the living quarters for Longshi family servants and storage rooms, while the upper floor served as a private school for the children of the Longshi family, servants, and neighboring children to study and practice calligraphy. All doors and windows feature openwork carvings and are inscribed with poetry. The rooms are well-lit, airy, and surrounded by an elegant environment with lush green trees—it’s truly a place fit for scholars. According to descendants of the Longshi family residing in the villa, the village’s only private school was once located here, where children could study without paying tuition. The salary for hiring teachers was entirely covered by the Longshi family, amounting to roughly "eight dan of rent" per year.

The architectural highlight of Longshi Mountain Villa lies in the hall rooms, consisting of the front hall, middle hall, and rear hall. These halls are broad and deep, with door sills made of finely polished bluestone, shaped like fox tails on the outside and covered with thick wooden beams. The doors are fitted with window grilles and carved with vivid and lifelike images such as the Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea. The lintel of the front hall once displayed a rectangular imperial plaque with a torch-shaped border, while the lintels of the middle and rear halls featured gold plaques inscribed with “Bamboo and Pine in Full Bloom” and “Virtue and Achievement Are Lofty,” respectively. These were gifts from relatives and friends after the manor was renovated during the Xianfeng and Tongzhi eras, created by renowned calligraphers of the time. Although these plaques no longer exist, Longshi Mountain Villa remains firmly rooted, with descendants of the Longshi family spread across China, flourishing like branches and leaves.

Behind the halls lies the rear courtyard, which has a spacious yard with a bluestone floor. A pair of half-person-tall hexagonal stone fish tanks with floral bases still remain, each side adorned with exquisitely carved patterns. At the center of the rear courtyard is the central hall, where ancestors of the Longshi family worshipped deities and honored their lineage. It is said that the sides were inhabited by highly respected members of the Longshi family, and visitors had to pass through 14 gates to reach them—evidence of the strictly guarded and extraordinary nature of the estate. The north and south sides of the rear courtyard feature wing rooms. Most of the north wing rooms have deteriorated over time, with partial damage. Yet, within one such dilapidated wing room lies a nine-tier incense burner relocated from the main hall. Its unique design features hollow-carved images of dragons, lions, figures, and lotus flowers, all exquisitely crafted and incredibly lifelike, leaving viewers in awe.

On October 7, 2019, Longshi Mountain Villa in Pingshan was included in the eighth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Protected Area: 30 meters beyond the current perimeter wall.

Construction Control Zone: 70 meters beyond the protected area.

Further Reading:

· Eighth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units