Ancient Residential Complex of the Hu Family

Ancient Residential Complex of the Hu Family

The Ancient Residential Complex of the Hu Family is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Ancient Residential Complex of the Hu Family is located in Qincheng District, Tianshui City. It was the private residence of Hu Laiji, a scholar from Qin Prefecture during the Ming Dynasty, who served as a middle-rank imperial official and deputy surveillance commissioner of Shanxi. Commonly known as the "Southern Mansion," it earned this name because it faces the "Northern Mansion" of Hu Xinqi, Hu Laiji’s son, across the street. Covering an area of 2,350 square meters, it stretches approximately 60 meters from north to south and about 36 meters from east to west, and faces south. The complex features a five-courtyard layout. Currently, there are eight surviving buildings with 26 rooms, one hanging floral gate, and three screen walls.

The first courtyard consists of the main gate, two hanging floral gates on the east and west sides, and a screen wall. The main gate has three bays, a single-eave flush gable roof, and the central bay extends outward to form a hanging floral gate design. The eaves are elaborately carved with motifs of wealth and prosperity—melon-shaped brackets and bracket pads feature openwork carvings of clouds and flowers. The horizontal plaque and spandrels are bas-relieved with auspicious patterns such as sea clouds, peonies, and phoenixes. The outer gate lintel is inscribed with “Wife of Hu Songxiu, an Imperial College Student – Lady Pu,” indicating that the central bay of the gate functions as a memorial archway for filial piety; the inner lintel reads “Residence of the Deputy Surveillance Commissioner.” The roof ridge is adorned with dragon finials and carved decorative ridge tiles. Entering through the gate into the courtyard, a straight screen wall rebuilt in the Qing Dynasty stands at the front. Hanging floral gates are located on the east and west sides—one on the east has collapsed, while the one on the west features openwork transverse brackets under the eaves, with the lintel intricately carved with intertwined peonies, and the horizontal plaque inscribed with the characters “Gui Fu” (Fragrance of Osmanthus).

Passing through the “Gui Fu” gate leads into the front courtyard, which consists of the main hall and side rooms on the east and west. The main hall is a Ming Dynasty structure, featuring five bays in width and three in depth, with a single-eave overhanging gable roof and a front corridor. The column capitals are slightly curved like an inverted basin, and the base of the columns uses drum-shaped plinths. The penetrating beams extend beyond the column tops and are carved with three-cloud motifs. The flat beams and lintels have a T-shaped cross-section, with crabapple lines carved at the corners. Under the eaves, there is one bracket set each at the column top and in the middle span, with the bracket heads shaped like hemp-leaf cloud motifs. The central bracket is carved with scrolling vine patterns, and the bracket pads feature openwork floral designs. Each bay is fitted with a six-panel partition door, with lattice cores in a willow-branch pattern. At the back are five reverse-facing rooms, with three side rooms each on the east and west sides—all rebuilt during the Qing Dynasty.

On the east side of the front courtyard is a small gate leading to the study courtyard. Inside are a Buddhist hall, a reception room, and a study. The main wooden structures of these three buildings are all relics from the Ming Dynasty, sharing the same architectural style and carving techniques as the main hall, though the doors and windows have been modified by residents into modern styles. Entering from the southeast corner of the study courtyard leads to the servants’ courtyard, which contains six side rooms and one straight screen wall. Outside the servants’ courtyard to the south is a passageway leading to the rear courtyard, which is a miscellaneous area with all buildings converted into modern styles.

Suggested Duration

1 hour

Transportation

Take bus No. 1 to Department Store Station, No. 5 to Qinzhou Bus Station, or No. 6 to North Central Square Station in the city, then walk to the site. Alternatively, you can walk from the Fuxi Temple.

Admission Fee

Present a valid ID at the ticket office to exchange for a free entry voucher, which grants access to the site.

Opening Hours

9:00–17:00; ticket exchange stops at 16:30

Location

Minzhu West Road, Qinzhou District, Tianshui City, Gansu Province (near Tianshui Folk Museum)

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units