The Sima Mansion in Linzhai

The Sima Mansion in Linzhai

"Sima" was an ancient central government official title equivalent to a ministerial level, similar to positions such as Zhongxian Dafu, Fengzheng Dafu, and Chaoyi Dafu. This Sima Mansion is also called the Nine-Building Compound, referring collectively to three connected buildings — the Sima Mansion, Chaoyi Mansion, and Shangxinwu — which together form a row of nine structures. Originally built in the second year of the Jiaqing reign during the Qing Dynasty, over 200 years ago, it was constructed by Chaoyi Dafu Chen Hongming.

The Sima Mansion is situated at a feng shui treasure site in the ancient village. Back in the day, silver was said to have been laid out on the ground where the house stands, as wide as the purchase allowed, creating the remarkable sight known as “silver paving the earth.” The building follows a mansion-style structure, with intricately crafted hall screens and uniquely styled wood carvings. The gilded wood carvings remain exquisitely preserved after more than 200 years, being fine art pieces covered with gold leaf. The mark on the wall is from the 1964 flood line; lower down are the 2006 and 2005 flood lines. Despite the floods reaching such heights, the house remained entirely undamaged.

The halls here are spacious and bright, having long served as a place in the village for Cantonese opera rehearsals. In 1932, renowned Cantonese opera artists such as Sit Kok-sin, Yip Fuk-yue, and Li Tsui-fong came to perform in the countryside and rehearsed here. After liberation, it served as a thousand-person canteen for the Lijiang Commune and a Mao Zedong Thought cultural room.

The central hall features the inscription “Delighting in Goodness Without Tiring,” which reflects the owner’s daily practice — no good deed is too small, do one good deed each day, and happiness follows every day.

The plaque in the lower hall inscribed with “Luzhong” means: practicing the Doctrine of the Mean. As recorded in *Han Shu – Yi Wen Zhi* by Liu Xiang of the Han Dynasty: “Accumulate righteousness and harmonize with benevolence, follow the middle path and practice goodness.”

The beam above the main gate is carved with the design “A Carp Leaps Over the Dragon Gate,” symbolizing the Hakka people's reverence for education and the aspiration for success in imperial examinations. The gate plaque inscribed with “Sima Mansion” was written by Huang Jinji, a local scholar and the magistrate of Xinning County.

The couplet at the Sima Mansion reads: “Guard the virtues of the ages; Gallop towards a bright future.” It has now been converted into an “Agricultural Museum,” which displays various tools used in rural production and the processing of agricultural and sideline products.

Xingjing Village: The ancient village of Xingjing belongs to Linzhai Town, Heping County, Heyuan City, Guangdong Province. It is a typical example of a Hakka landlord residence, with the most representative buildings being the “Qianguang Tower,” “Yingchuan Jiujia,” and “Zhongxian Mansion.”

In September 2006, it was designated as a cultural relics protection unit by Heyuan City; on September 23, 2008, it was recognized as one of the first 27 ancient villages in Guangdong Province by the Guangdong Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the Folk Artists Association. In January 2009, it was officially awarded the title “Ancient Village of Guangdong Province.”

The ancient village of Xingjing has been inhabited since the ninth year of the Yuan Dynasty's Zhizheng era (1349). It lies against a small hilly ridge to the north... More details about Xingjing Village ++