Dong Mansion

Dong Mansion

Dong Mansion is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Dong Mansion, located in Renqiao Village, Xiakou Town, 28 kilometers southeast of Xiaoba, was the residence of Dong Fuxiang, who held the titles of Guanglu Grand Master (the highest official rank) and Vice Tutor to the Crown Prince during the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty—hence its name “Gongbao Mansion.” Construction began in the 28th year of Guangxu (1902) and was completed in the 31st year (1905), using hundreds of thousands of taels of silver, two to three million workdays, and five million jin of grain. The inner and outer fortifications together cover an area of 3,000 mu. Premium materials were carefully selected, and skilled craftsmen from Sichuan, Shaanxi, and other regions were gathered to build it. It features traditional Chinese brick-and-wood dougong (bracket) structures, incorporating techniques such as painting, carving, engraving, sculpting, and embellishments like plaques, inscriptions, and paintings. The mansion is designed in the form of a fortified settlement, facing east with its back to the west. It is grand in scale, refined in style, rigorously laid out, and exquisitely crafted. As a representative example of Ming and Qing-style quadrangle courtyard complexes, it is also the largest existing fortress complex in Ningxia. It has been listed as part of the second batch of Key Cultural Relics Protection Units in Ningxia.

The outer fortification wall has long been destroyed. The inner wall stretches 122 meters from east to west and 112 meters from north to south, with a base width of 12 meters, a top width of 4.5 meters, and a height of 8.5 meters. An additional parapet wall, 2 meters high and 0.5 meters thick, runs along the top. The perimeter is equipped with gun ports and lookout holes. At each corner of the wall’s top are watch platforms, along with guardhouses. The main gate is topped by a three-bay “flush-gable” gate tower built with standing timber and brick. The gate entrance is set 30 meters north of the wall, with a stone slab foundation and a brick-vaulted arch roof. The wooden gate is reinforced with iron plates. On the inner side of the wall, brick staircases at both the northern and southern corners allow access to the top.

The inner fortress follows a “Three Palaces and Six Courtyards” layout (namely the southern front and rear, middle front and rear, and northern front and rear—six courtyards in total) that are interconnected. The main gate of the residential compound is offset between the northern and central courtyards, featuring a brick-carved couplet: “Bear in mind the four characters, vow to uphold undivided loyalty.” Above the lintel hangs an imperial-inscribed golden plaque reading “Gongbao Mansion.” A side gate is located nearby. Centered around the central rear courtyard, the layout extends to the south and north. This central rear courtyard is a two-story, fully timber-framed building with wooden staircases and railings. The main structure is 72 meters long from east to west and 58 meters wide from north to south, covering 150 mu with a total of 148 rooms. All roof ridges are of the flush-gable style, with upturned eaves, adorned with six mythical creatures, and partially covered with glazed tiles. The buildings are richly carved and colorfully painted, featuring novel designs. In addition to the main gate, there are side gates, screens, decorative walls, and shadow walls, all elegantly complemented by calligraphy, paintings, and inscriptions. The principal rooms include an ancestral hall, reception halls, bedrooms, studies, and a study courtyard.

Along the inside of the fortress walls, rows of earthen and timber buildings were constructed to house servants and laborers, along with facilities such as grain storage, mills, kitchens, and more.

Surrounding the mansion are nearly ten other fortress compounds, such as Zhu Mansion, Yao Mansion, Jia Mansion, Li Mansion, Zhou Mansion, and Du Mansion. Like stars surrounding the moon, these served as residences for Dong Fuxiang’s troops, hence the name Dongying Village.

After the liberation, the mansion underwent multiple renovations and was recently restored again. It is now open to tourists.

Further Reading:

· Sixth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units