Lianhe Liwei Manor

　　    Lianhe Liwei Manor, dating back to the Qing Dynasty. Located in Liwei Village Group, Lianhe Village, Fangang Town, Tongcheng City. The manor is roughly circular in shape, with flat terrain surrounding it, and is encircled by a 5–8-meter-wide water moat. The inner wall of the moat is built from stone slabs starting from the bottom of the water. Access to the manor is only possible via a stone bridge over the moat, which is 1 meter wide and constructed with long stone slabs as the bridge deck. At the entrance within the manor, right next to the bridgehead, stands a flush-gable entry gate. The load-bearing walls are built with thick, blue bricks laid in staggered courses. The base of the eaves and walls is constructed from stone slabs starting from the bottom of the moat. On the southern side of the manor, near the moat, there is an ancient well with a plain, unadorned well curb made of coarse stone. About 20 meters north of the well lies an ancestral hall. The structure features a combination of post-and-lintel and raised-beam wooden frameworks, with a double-sloped roof covered in small tiles, enclosed by grey bricks, and devoid of elaborate decoration, presenting a simple and elegant style. Behind the ancestral hall are traditional residences, some built with a combination of wooden columns and brick walls, some supported by rammed earth walls, and others with earthen brick partitions.

　　    The water moat surrounding Lianhe Liwei Manor served a defensive purpose, and the buildings within the manor are relatively refined. Similar manors have been found in Fangang, Qingcao, and Xindu towns of Tongcheng, but the Lianhe Liwei Manor is better preserved and contains relatively rich historical information. It is representative of such manor architecture, holds typical significance, and serves as important physical material for studying manor economies, ancient architecture, and the history and culture of Tongcheng.

　　    Source: Tongcheng Cultural Relics and Museums