Wei Zefu’s Residence

　　    Wei Zefu’s Residence is situated within high walls at the northern end of Laoye Lane where it meets West Main Street. It is a barrel-vaulted Yinzi-style house with a front courtyard, rear garden, skywell, and wing rooms. The courtyard contains a peace vat and stone benches. The exterior wall stands 8 meters high, and the residence is grand in scale, spacious, and exquisitely decorated with carved beams and painted rafters, making it highly ornate. It once served as a small government guesthouse.

　　    This Yinzi-style house was originally built in the 5th year of the Kangxi reign during the Qing Dynasty (1666). In the 13th year of the Tongzhi reign (1874), Wei Xicui, who held the rank of fifth-grade official and additionally served as an intendant of a directly administered prefecture, purchased it as his private residence. It remained in the Wei family for generations, passing to the third generation, Wei Zefu. Later, it was confiscated by the People’s Government and used as the office of Qiancheng Town Government until it was destroyed by fire in 2003. Today, we can only imagine its former grandeur from the preserved high walls and the vast ruins.

　　    Source: Ancient Qianyang Town