Dunlv Hall

　　Dunlv Hall is situated in Shangzhuang Village, Shangzhuang Town, Jixi County, 39 kilometers from the county seat. It is believed to be the only residential building from the Ming Dynasty in the village, giving it significant cultural heritage value. Its existence provides valuable physical evidence for studying the social and historical conditions of Shangzhuang Village, as well as the architectural styles and features of Huizhou-style residences from the Ming Dynasty. In May 1998, Dunlv Hall was designated as a provincial-level cultural relic protection unit by the Anhui Provincial Government.

　　Dunlv Hall is several hundred years old and appears somewhat worn, but its beam and column structures are still intact—proof of the advanced construction skills of ancient builders.

　　The house covers an area of 280 square meters and took two years and a large sum of money to build, making it a high-end residence among the homes in Shangzhuang Village—something only those with substantial financial means could afford. The owners of Dunlv Hall came from a long line of merchants. Like all merchants from Jixi, they not only possessed the perseverance of oxen working the fields but were also adept at accumulating wealth, continually expanding their capital, and achieving further commercial success. The plaque hanging above the taishi wall, inscribed with “Dunlv Hall,” is a testament to this tradition. The term “Dunlv” (敦履), meaning “earnest and steadfast,” was a message from the ancestors to their descendants, advising them to be honest, sincere, and hardworking in both business and life. It urged them to practice what they preached, to approach every task with dedication, and to learn through hands-on experience.

　　Dunlv Hall faces south and has three bays in width and seven in depth, with a symmetrical north-south central axis layout, and a plan shape resembling the Chinese character “亚” (Ya). It features a brick-and-wood structure, a flush-gable roof, a second floor that connects all around, and enclosed firewalls on the exterior. The walls are built with whole flat bricks, saving space—an inevitable choice in Shangzhuang where land is extremely precious.

　　This construction method became a model for ancient residences in Shangzhuang and was widely adopted. The main gate of Dunlv Hall is located in the middle of the southern eaves wall, framed by two angled stone pillars and a decorative stone lintel, with three rows of projecting bricks above, winged extensions on the east and west sides, and decorated with makara (a mythical sea creature). The entire gate is simple yet imposing, and it had a significant influence on the door-building techniques of residences in Shangzhuang from the same period and later.

　　The courtyard (天井, tiānjǐng) is one of the key structural elements of traditional Huizhou-style residences, serving both practical functions such as lighting and ventilation, and reflecting aesthetic values like “bathing in the morning sun and viewing the stars at night.” The courtyard in Dunlv Hall is situated between the front and rear halls, built with granite slabs. It is designed with a sunken drainage system around the edges, and a central stone path runs along the axis. The second-floor courtyard is surrounded by carved wooden railings with minimal decoration. The house features typical Ming Dynasty Huizhou architectural elements such as moon beams, eagle-beak columns, Dougong (bracket sets), floor joists beneath the upper-level flooring, and partition walls made of reeds. These reflect the pursuit of a simple yet elegant style, using stillness to suggest motion, and conveying an artistic sensibility of grandeur and openness.