General Lai Shichao’s Residence

General Lai Shichao’s Residence

General Lai Shichao’s Residence, also known as the “Lai Family Ancestral House,” is located on Laifu Lane in Dapeng Fortress and was first built in the early to mid-Qing Dynasty. General Lai Shichao was one of the “Three Generations, Five Generals” of the Lai family. In the 10th year of the Daoguang reign, he served as an examiner for martial arts candidates in Fujian and Guangdong, was conferred the honorary title of Commandant of Martial Valor, rose to the rank of Commander-in-Chief of Qiongzhou Town in Guangdong, was awarded the title of Martial General, and held the official rank of Second Class Senior. The entire structure faces west, covers an area of 140 square meters, and features a layout of three bays, three courtyards, and two skywells. It is a brick-and-timber structure with a tiled roof, flush gable walls, a flush gable roof, and an ornamental ridge adorned with antique motifs, representing a mid-Qing Dynasty residential-style building. The original main gate bore a plaque inscribed with “General’s Residence,” flanked by wooden couplets reading “Martial prowess excels—swift action is key; seek success without show, let virtue shine.” These have since been lost.