Former Residence of Shi Taishi

　　The residence was originally built during the Ming Dynasty. The Zhao family, starting with Zhao Wenkai, had four generations of members who served as Hanlin scholars—namely Zhao ?, Zhao Jiyuan, and Zhao Zengzhong—hence it was historically known as the Former Residence of Shi Taishi or the Residence of the Four Generations of Hanlin Scholars. On November 5, 1907, during the 33rd year of the Guangxu reign in the Qing Dynasty, Mr. Zhao Puchu, who later became Vice Chairman of the 9th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Honorary Chairman of the Central Committee of the China Democratic League, and President of the Buddhist Association of China, was born here. Therefore, it is also known as the Former Residence of Zhao Puchu.

　　The Former Residence of Shi Taishi combines ancient architecture with garden design, covering a total area of 4,463 square meters, with a building area of 2,773 square meters. The ancient architectural complex faces south and is built along a north-south axis. The exterior walls are finished with clear water joints of blue bricks, giving a simple and elegant appearance. The horse-head walls rise and fall with rhythmic variation. The main structure is made of brick and wood, rectangular in shape, measuring 42 meters in length from east to west and 84 meters in width from north to south. It is divided into four sections on the east side and three sections on the west side, totaling seven sections. Except for the western three-section section, which has three bays, all others have five bays, with a width of 20 meters, arranged neatly along two central north-south axes. Each section is connected on both sides by wing rooms or corridors. Between the first to fourth sections on the east side and the first to second sections on the west side are courtyards that serve to provide light and channel rainwater from the surrounding roofs. The back garden consists of a hexagonal pavilion, a lotus pond, rockeries, a stele corridor, and landscaping, covering an area of 982 square meters, resembling a jade-green emerald embedded in the northwest part of the ancient architectural complex.

　　The architectural artistry of this building emphasizes feng shui, with a cleverly chosen location. It was built to accommodate the extended family, featuring a grand scale. It embodies a fusion of northern and southern styles, highlighting Huizhou characteristics. With a symmetrical central axis and orderly structure, its basic architectural unit consists of an open hall flanked by one or two wing rooms or corridors, along with small courtyards. The brick carving, wood carving, and stone carving techniques are exquisitely refined, seamlessly integrating the interior and exterior decoration of the residence. The interplay of dots, lines, and planes, black, white, and gray tones, along with the continuous combination of clear-water-jointed exterior walls, white-plastered interior walls, and continuous rows of gray tiles, form the fresh and elegant external appearance of the Former Residence of Shi Taishi.

　　The style of the Former Residence of Shi Taishi blends the grandeur and ruggedness of northern ancient architecture with the delicacy and refinement of Huizhou architecture, showcasing strong local characteristics and significant historical, scientific, and artistic value. It is also one of the better-preserved and larger groups of Ming and Qing dynasty ancient architectural complexes in Anhui Province.

　　In 2006, the Former Residence of Shi Taishi, as a Ming dynasty structure, was listed by the State Council as part of the sixth group of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level.