Former Residence of Cai Xin

　　The former residence of Cai Xin is located in Xiɑlou Village (formerly known as Xiɑbu Village), Danban Town. The residence comprises a main hall, an earthen building, and a garden, forming a large architectural complex. The main hall is situated on the western side of the complex, covering a construction area of 695 square meters, with a width of 19.2 meters and a depth of 36.3 meters, facing east. It consists of an entrance hall, a courtyard corridor, a main room, and a rear building, spanning five bays in width and two bays in depth. The walls are built with compacted lime-soil, and the structure features wooden beams on stone pillars, with blue stone bases and a suspended hip roof. The rear building has collapsed.

　　 The central hall originally displayed a plaque inscribed with the imperial calligraphy of Emperor Qianlong reading “Wu Ku Qi Ying” (Armory of Veteran Elites). Additionally, in the 48th year of Qianlong’s reign (1783), when Cai Xin was 77 years old and appointed Grand Secretary of the Wenhua Hall and concurrently Minister of Personnel, he was bestowed the plaque “Huang Fei Su Yan” (Distinguished Scholar of the Imperial Gate). At the age of 90, he received another imperial plaque: “Lü Ye Heng Si” (Eternal Seclusion in Verdant Fields). The sides of the hall are adorned with wooden plaques bearing couplets rewritten by Cai Xin in the 41st year of Qianlong’s reign (1776), based on those originally composed by his ancestor Cai Zuoxi. In front of the main hall lies a terrace approximately 200 meters long, with a garden located to its right front. The garden covers about 5 mu (approximately 0.33 hectares), but has fallen into disrepair. Only an oval-shaped pond, artificial rockeries, and the remains of an arched bridge survive, along with numerous architectural remnants and some lake stones. To the north of the garden lies the earthen building Yongqing Fort, built by Cai Xin, which is a county-level cultural heritage protection unit.

　　Cai Xin (1707~1799)　　Cai Xin (1707–1799), courtesy name Ciming, art name Geshan, also known as Jizhai, was a native of Zhangpu, Fujian Province (now Linxi in Xiɑlou Village, Danban Town, Zhangpu County), and a high-ranking official of the Qing Dynasty. He passed the imperial examination in the first year of Qianlong’s reign (1736), becoming a Shujishi (a compiled scholar), then served successively as an editor at the Hanlin Academy, an attendant lecturer, and rose through the ranks to become Chief Instructor of the Imperial Household, concurrently handling affairs of the Ministry of War and the Directorate of Education, Minister of Rites concurrently managing the Ministry of War, Minister of Personnel concurrently managing the Directorate of Education, Grand Secretary of the Wenhua Hall concurrently Minister of Personnel, and was conferred the honorary title of Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince. In December of the fourth year of the Jiaqing reign (1799), he passed away at home. He was posthumously honored as Grand Preceptor, granted an imperial funeral, and given the posthumous title Wen Gong. Biography In the first year of Qianlong’s reign (1736), he passed the imperial examination... Details+