Five Churches

　　This surviving Ming Dynasty residence provides important physical evidence for studying the development history, architectural history, and family cultural history of Jixi County, and is also one of the key cultural carriers of Jixi, a provincial-level historical and cultural city. In May 1998, Five Churches was designated as a provincial-level cultural heritage site by the Anhui Provincial Government.

　　As early as the 1950s, the renowned Chinese architect Professor Liu Dunzhen discovered it during his survey of ancient architecture in Huizhou and spoke highly of it. Fifty years later, Five Churches has become the only remaining Ming Dynasty residence in Jixi, an ancient county with a history of over a thousand years—precious as a jewel in the palm.

　　Jixi is one of the important birthplaces of Huizhou culture and has been deeply influenced by Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism. "For all the commentaries on the Six Classics, those not approved by Zhu Xi are neither taught to siblings nor studied by disciples," reflecting the unwavering reverence and worship for Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism. The Ge family, a prominent clan in Jixi County known for their literary and martial accomplishments, adhered to Confucian teachings, so it was only natural for them to embrace Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism. The wooden plaque inscribed with “Five Churches” hangs prominently on the screen wall, serving as a striking and soul-stirring creed strictly observed and diligently practiced by the descendants of the Ge family.

　　Five Churches faces south and is laid out along a north-south axis, symmetrically arranged east to west. It consists of three main sections: front, middle, and rear, with a total construction area of 303.18 square meters. The main gate is set into the gable wall on the southeast corner, framed by two angled stone pillars and a carved stone lintel. The lintel is inlaid with square, polished blue bricks with tight joints, topped with three cantilevered bricks forming an overhang, covered with small tiles, and adorned at both ends of the roof ridge with ceramic makara. The two vertical decorative bands are made of blue bricks featuring ruyi patterns, giving the entrance a simple yet dignified appearance. Inside the gate lies a long, narrow courtyard with a screen wall facing south. The front hall is five bays wide and two bays deep, with rooms on the east and west sides. The front eaves are supported by bracket sets of the fifth rank, extending the roof overhang. The central bay features latticed doors, while the side bays are fitted with parapet walls and paneled windows. The rear eaves are supported by ruyi-style bracket arms, with the side bays decorated similarly to the front. The central bay’s beam framework adopts the exposed rafter technique, with intricately carved components such as cloud-ribbon crossed brackets, lotus-petal bracket blocks, dentil brackets, and beam corbels, all exhibiting a simple and unadorned style. Behind the front hall is a rectangular courtyard paved with strip stones, surrounded by drainage channels, with a strip stone path running along the central axis leading straight to the middle hall.

　　On the east and west sides of the courtyard are wing rooms, with their outer eaves supported by bracket arms and fitted with parapet walls and paneled windows. The middle hall is the main section of Five Churches, serving as the space where the homeowner entertained guests or hosted celebratory events. It is spacious and bright, five bays wide and four bays deep, with a floor plan in the shape of a Chinese character “品” (meaning “quality”). The bays flanking the central one house rooms for the homeowner’s daily use. The materials and craftsmanship used in the middle hall are exceptionally refined, with round columns resting on lotus-petal-shaped stone plinths. Above them are column covers carved with nanmu wood lotus-petal patterns. The ridge purlins on the north and south sides are adorned with ruyi-cloud-ribbon crossed brackets, supported by lifelike, gracefully curling lotus-petal bracket blocks. The ends of the three-purlin beams are decorated with ruyi cloud heads. Notably, the single-step beam at the front eave is supported by a combination of ruyi-cloud-patterned bracket blocks and a one-dou-three-spreader bracket set, creating a structure that is both rational and elegant—a true masterpiece of architectural art. The front end of the single-step beam is also adorned with ruyi cloud heads, while the dentil brackets feature four carved grooves and cloud-patterned arches, producing a bold and unrestrained artistic effect. The front eave of the middle hall is supported by bracket arms, whereas the rear eave uses bracket sets of the fifth rank. The reason behind this structural change—and which approach is superior—remains a topic for further research. The rear hall consists of a small courtyard and two rooms, with the eave section fitted with starry-patterned low windows and scattered panels. It is worth mentioning that from south to north, Five Churches features a one-meter-wide passage between the gable walls, with the roof supported by cantilevered purlins.