The Hu Family Residence

The Hu Family Residence

The Hu Family Residence is a national key cultural relics protection unit.

The Hu Family Residence is a national key cultural relics protection unit announced by the State Council on June 25, 2001. It is a group of meticulously laid out, high-quality Ming Dynasty courtyard buildings featuring exquisite carvings and paintings, and serene, winding layouts. The Hu Family Residence — ancient Ming and Qing architecture, Tianshui Folk Museum, historic residences, national cultural relics protection unit.

The South Mansion, located on Minzhu West Road in Tianshui City, constitutes the southern part of the Hu Family Residence complex. Originally built during the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty, it served as the residence of Hu Laiji, the Deputy Censor of Shanxi Province in the Ming Dynasty. The entire structure is divided into eastern and western sections by a central corridor, forming a rigorously planned and well-preserved group of Ming Dynasty courtyards. It has now been restored to its historical appearance and serves as a uniquely distinctive folk museum in the northwest region.

The North Mansion faces the South Mansion across the street and forms the northern part of the Hu Family Residence complex. It was the private residence of Hu Xin, the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices in the Ming Dynasty. Covering a land area of 1,550 square meters and a building area of 1,245 square meters, it is a typical and iconic representation of Tianshui’s Ming and Qing residential architecture, as well as an important example of such structures in China’s western regions. It is a highly valuable historical and cultural heritage site with exceptional humanistic resources and tourism potential. The original layout of the North Mansion was roughly square, with a main gate consisting of three bays situated in the southeast, in front of which stood a memorial archway inscribed with the characters “Tai Chang Di” (Court of Imperial Sacrifices Residence), indicating the owner’s status. Two stone lions lay at the foot of the steps, and a screen wall was placed inside. The entire residence was composed of six walled compounds of varying sizes, including both three-sided and four-sided courtyard layouts. Currently, only five buildings within the main three-courtyard compound on the eastern side remain. Other structures were first destroyed in a fire in 1950 and later altered or demolished, leaving the original appearance unrecognizable. After the completion of the conservation and restoration project, the North Mansion is planned to be repurposed as the Hu Family Folk Exhibition Hall, tentatively named “North Mansion.” It will serve as a tangible educational resource for patriotic education and historical materialism, as well as a vital foundation for developing tourism, enriching public cultural life, and promoting openness. It features distinctive Ming Dynasty architecture and unique historical and cultural significance.

Source: Qinzhou Government Portal Website