Ninety-Nine and a Half

　　   The Taizhou Zhou Family Residence, known among locals as the "Ninety-Nine and a Half," will restore its historical architectural features. The "Resonant Hall" construction technique, which had almost disappeared after the founding of the People’s Republic of China, will be revived. Currently, 80% of the project has been completed.

　　   The Crown Jewel of Taizhou’s Ancient Residences

　　   Located at No. 17 Hanxi Street in Taizhou, on the west side of Caohe Head, the Zhou Family Residence was listed as a Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit in 1995. Built during the Xianfeng era of the Qing Dynasty and later expanded, the residence consists of ninety-nine and a half rooms, covering a construction area of nearly 2,900 square meters. The entire complex is arranged along four axes and comprises over ten courtyards formed by 14 patios. It includes halls, accounting rooms, wing rooms, wells, gardens, rockeries, and more. The entire architectural ensemble features blue bricks and black tiles, exquisite craftsmanship, and stunning wood, brick, and stone carvings.

　　   The "Resonant Hall" Is a Marvel

　　   The Zhou Family Residence originally had "Resonant Halls." A Resonant Hall was constructed by laying inverted pottery basins beneath the floor to create an air gap, with square bricks placed on top. When people walked across, the floor would resonate, producing a solemn and mysterious feeling while also providing moisture-proofing. This technique had almost vanished after the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

　　   To preserve this traditional craft, Taizhou specially commissioned pottery basins from Yixing and applied the "Resonant Hall" technique in five of the halls.

　　   Adhering to the principle of "not altering the original appearance," the construction team restored major structures in the courtyard, including the main gate hall, ceremonial gate screen wall, large and small main halls, wing rooms, accounting room, small flower hall, west wing room, and butterfly hall.

　　   Corridor Eaves Restored to Original Form

　　   The west side of the Zhou Family Residence originally had a garden and a butterfly hall, with a decorative terrazzo platform in front of the butterfly hall. Research indicates that this platform was the first terrazzo structure in northern Jiangsu, and its restoration work has now been completed.

　　   Each corridor of the old Zhou residence had eaves, eliminating the need for umbrellas even on rainy days. These eaves have now been restored as faithfully as possible to their original form. Among them, the wood carvings on the eaves of the southeast side of the butterfly hall have been repaired — the bird-and-flower and human figures carved centuries ago are vividly lifelike.