The Ji Family Residence

　　The Ji Family Residence (a fourth batch National Heritage site)

　　Era: Yuan Dynasty

　　Address: Chenjia Town, 18 kilometers northeast of Gaoping City

　　Also known as the Old Ji Family House, it is the oldest discovered residential building in China to date.

　　Facing south, it is built on a 0.42-meter-high sandstone platform, with a rectangular floor plan. It has three bays in width and six rafters in depth, featuring a flush-gable roof. The roof pitch is gentle, and the covering consists of clay tiles. The central bay features a door, with the inner frame set back half a bay inward, aligned horizontally with the inner column row, and fitted with a paneled door adorned with five rows of six studs each. The side bays have windows set into the window sills, with lattice-patterned window grilles. Except for the four front columns that are exposed, all other structural elements are embedded within the walls. The exposed columns and their bases are made of sandstone; the bases are plain, bowl-shaped pedestals, while the columns themselves are square with chamfered corners, each chamfer featuring an outwardly convex curve. The column capitals are uncut, with distinct entasis and slight inclination. The bracket sets are positioned directly atop the columns, with their lower ends shaped like inverted hearts. The beam framework is simple yet robust. The purlins are connected using through-tenons, and the mortise-and-tenon joints are clearly visible. The eaves columns are encased in wooden casings, and the main beams are supported by large brackets. The wooden components are minimally processed, with many parts made from natural timber, showcasing primitive architectural techniques.

　　An inscription on the left door socket reads: “In the cyclical year of Jiazi, the 31st year of the Zhiyuan era of the Great Yuan, the Ji family residence was established. Stone mason: Feng [surname] from Tiandang Commandery.” This indicates that the owner was surnamed Ji, the construction year was the 31st year of Zhiyuan during the Yuan Dynasty (1294), making it over 700 years old.