Boluo Tongfeng Mansion

Boluo Tongfeng Mansion

Boluo Tongfeng Mansion is a cultural relic protection unit of Guangdong Province.

Tongfeng Mansion, also known as the Residence of Tongfeng Daifu, is located in Jingshuilong Village, Yangcun Town, Boluo County, Huizhou City. It was the residence—mansion or estate—of civil officials and noble families during the Ming and Qing dynasties: specifically, those holding the official rank of Tongfeng Daifu, either full or secondary second-rank, or of noble families of equivalent status.

Legend has it that Zhu Shirui (the ninth-generation descendant) of Zhu Xi’s lineage relocated from Shuibei, Huizhou to Jingshuilong Village, Yangcun Town, Boluo County during the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty (around 1522 AD). The Tongfeng Mansion in Jingshuilong Village is also known as the Yunji Grand House. It was built by Zhu Cuiying (courtesy name Yunji), a descendant of the Zhu family in Jingshuilong Village who served as an imperial official of secondary second-rank in the capital.

In 1829, Zhu Cuiying returned from the capital to Jingshuilong to build the Yunji Grand House. Covering an area of approximately 3,000 square meters, the construction employed nearly a thousand workers daily and took eight years to complete—an exceptionally massive project in the history of residential architecture. The Zhu ancestral home consists of three main sections: front, middle, and rear, flanked by auxiliary buildings on both sides. Between the front, middle, and rear halls are large courtyards, totaling 62 rooms including main halls, side halls, and wing rooms. The interior floors are level, and the drainage system is smoothly and methodically laid out. Just the two wooden lions on the main beam of the front gate took three years to carve.

It is said that the valuable timbers used in the house, such as kwangtung wood, were all imported from Southeast Asian countries and transported back via Hong Kong. The screens and beams inside the mansion feature exquisitely hand-carved wooden lions, lifelike figures, brightly colored flowers, plants, trees, birds, beasts, insects, and landscapes, all of which are gilded with gold leaf. Even the beams, brackets, and decorative wooden hanging panels display intricate and numerous carvings—a level of complexity and variety rarely seen in Huizhou’s ancient architecture.

Jingshuilong Village: Jingshuilong Village…… More details about Jingshuilong Village++

Further reading:

· Ninth Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Guangdong Province