The Ancient Liang Family Residence

　　Located in Gaosonggen Village, Maning Town, Huaiji County, these ancient Liang family houses were the former residences of Liang Xiulin and Liang Xiuli, brothers and descendants of Liang Yingshan and Liang Kui—Ming Dynasty imperial examination scholars from Huaiji. They are also the hometown of Liang Zhuohua, a graduate of the Whampoa Military Academy. Built in the late Qing Dynasty, the residences have been well-preserved to this day.

　　According to the old "Huaiji County Annals," Liang Yingshan served as the magistrate of Guidong County under the Leizhou regional administration during the Jiajing era, while Liang Kui (originally named Liang Yukuai) held the position of educational officer in Fuchuan during the same period. The 21st-generation Liang ancestors, brothers Liang Xiulin and Liang Xiuli, likely inherited their scholarly family's emphasis on education. From a young age, they were diligent and studious, eventually becoming experts in the fabric trade, specializing in dyeing and weaving. They had an extensive network of friends, and their high-quality, diverse fabrics—especially their dyed silks—were immensely popular both locally and across Guangxi, even reaching as far as Hangzhou and Zhejiang. Their business brought them considerable wealth, and during the late Qing Dynasty, the brothers constructed this unique and grand mansion in Shangdiwu (now called Gaosonggen Village). Local residents say that the process—from selecting the site to construction and finally moving in—took over two years, and the residence has now stood for more than 150 years.

　　The residence covers an area of over 1,000 square meters and features a brick-and-wood structure with grey bricks and tiles. The roof is adorned on both sides with phoenix-tail shaped ornaments, giving it an exquisite and luxurious appearance. The interior and exterior walls are particularly striking, decorated with finely painted calligraphy and artwork rich in profound cultural meanings from both Chinese and Western traditions. Among the paintings, two murals are especially unique—each is outlined with English lettering, a rare sign of Western influence in Huaiji’s ancient homes. One of the paintings also includes a Chinese inscription identifying it as one of the Eight Views of Hangzhou. On either side of the painting are two poetic couplets: the first reads, “Whose jade flute sends its muffled sound, drifting through spring winds into the falling-city night? Amid the northern night tune, I hear willows being plucked—who wouldn’t be moved by nostalgia for home?” The second poem reads, “At dawn I bid farewell to White Emperor amid colorful clouds; a thousand-li journey to Jiangling I make in a single day. On both banks, the monkeys’ cries never cease; yet my light boat has already passed ten thousand layered peaks.” In the mural beneath the front eaves of the residence, images of ancient musical instruments such as the pipa are also painted. From a distance, the house appears exceptionally ornate and distinctive. The poems and artwork reveal that the Liang Xiulin brothers were educated and cultured individuals, and they also reflect that the Liang family had an early appreciation for Western culture—as a true family of scholars and elites.

　　Liang Zhuohua, a descendant of Liang Xiulin, trained at the Whampoa Military Academy (commonly known as the Whampoa Military School) from 1924 to 1927. On the eve of liberation, he followed Chiang Kai-shek’s army to Taiwan. On September 12, 1994, Liang Zhuohua returned to the mainland to visit relatives in his hometown and was warmly received by the local party committee and government. He expressed deep gratitude for the warm concern shown by his family back home. After returning to Taiwan, he often wrote letters to his nephews Liang Shengtian and Liang Baotian, inquiring about changes in the hometown and the policies of reform and opening-up. He also expressed interest in investing in local enterprises and often used the letters to teach his nephews to be honest, hardworking, thrifty, law-abiding, and enterprising. According to Liang Shengtian, a descendant of the Liang family: “The Liang family ancestors left behind many books, but due to [historical events], most of them were burned. Even Liang Zhuohua’s [military diploma] fell into a latrine. It was only dug out and shown to the public on October 26 of this year. After more than 40 years of corrosion in the cesspool, the engraved text on the diploma has become blurred and incomplete—only the words ‘Whampoa Military Academy, ×× session, No. ×××, Army Department, Presented by President Chiang Kai-shek’ can still be faintly made out.” Judging by the history of the Liang Xiulin family and the ancient residence, the Liang family was a distinguished clan of scholars and warriors—well-versed in both civil and martial arts, and accomplished in music and performance—a family of great scholarly prestige.