Dongyang Lu Residence

　　Dongyang County features rolling hills and crisscrossing rivers, making it a prosperous area in central Zhejiang. The local residents surnamed Lu have lived here as a clan for eight hundred years. Starting from the year 1421 during the Ming Dynasty when Lu Rui, a member of the Lu clan, passed the imperial examination and became a Jinshi, until the mid-Qing Dynasty, the family consistently produced successful candidates in the imperial examinations and distinguished individuals. They were recognized as a leading family in Wuzhou and successively built many grand residences in the area, marking the heyday of the development of Lu Residence. Over the following three hundred years, the complex was gradually expanded into a complete residential architectural complex of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Coupled with the gentle flow of Yaxi Stream encircling the village, it creates a picturesque scene alongside the quaint and elegant residences.

　　Dongyang Lu Residence is an architectural complex composed of multiple axes, with the main section surrounded by the flowing Yaxi Stream. A cobblestone-paved street runs east-west, and to the north of the street lies the main axis of "Su Yong Hall." Parallel to it on the east side are the axes of "Shi De Hall" and "Da Fu Mansion," while on the west side is the "Shi Jin Qi Mansion" axis. To the north and parallel to Su Yong Hall is the "Wu Tai Hall" axis, and along the southern street are axes such as "Zhu Shi Mansion," "Wu Yun Hall," and "Bing Yu Hall," many of which date back to the Ming Dynasty.

　　The main structures to the west of Yaxi Stream include the Lu Clan Ancestral Hall, Shan Qing Hall, Jia Hui Hall, Xian Chen Hall, Shu De Hall, and others. The main parts of these buildings are constructed using large, high-quality timber, enabling the creation of spacious and tall structures. The painted decorations are exquisite, and the architectural details are rich. Most of the beams and columns are adorned with intricate carvings, and most of the buildings date from the late Ming and early Qing dynasties.

　　Su Yong Hall on the north side of the street serves as the public hall for the Lu clan and is the main axis of the entire Lu Residence. Its scale and prominence within the architectural complex are particularly notable. The hall is three bays wide and ten rafters deep, with side chambers on both sides. It consists of two gabled roofs shaped like the Chinese character “人” (person), and the beams and columns are made of premium materials with exquisitely carved details. Instead of using column capitals, the structure employs bracket sets and layered arches. The ends of the beams extend beyond the columns and are carved into various patterns. Whether it’s the brackets, arches, beams, lintels, or rafters—any surface suitable for carving is adorned with floral designs and decorative moldings, and any area appropriate for painting is embellished with colorful artwork. Stepping inside, one is greeted with a dazzling display of vibrant colors and intricate details.

　　In 1988, Dongyang Lu Residence was listed by the State Council as part of the third group of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level, recognized as a historical architecture from the Ming and Qing periods.