The Shangpaimen Ancient Village

　　The Shangpaimen Ancient Village (Ancient Residential Architecture Complex), dating from the Ming and Qing dynasties to the Republic of China period. It is situated in Wanqian, Wanli, Wanxi, and Hegao villager groups of Tangwan Village, Tangwan Town, Tongcheng City, northwest of the town area, fronting the Tongqian Highway, covering an area of over 20,000 square meters. The ancient village is surrounded by mountains on three sides and is built layer by layer from southeast to northwest following the terrain. All buildings are of brick-and-timber structure, with the basic forms of the wooden frameworks being either post-and-lintel or beam-raising. The eaves walls and threshold walls are all built with bluish bricks measuring 35 cm long, 20 cm wide, and 10 cm thick, laid in staggered courses for enclosure and load-bearing. Inside the buildings, mud-plastered walls or wooden paneling are used for partitioning, and some parts of the buildings are adorned with carvings and colored paintings. The courtyards are paved with cobblestones in herringbone patterns, the door tower floors are paved with square bricks diagonally, and the interiors are rammed with earth. The drainage ditches under the eaves are winding and interconnected with underground channels. The corridors between the buildings crisscross in a winding and well-arranged manner, connecting each independent structure, reflecting the characteristics of mountain dwellers living in kinship clusters yet with separate households. In addition to traditional residences, the ancient village also features functionally distinctive ritual architecture such as ancestral clan halls.

　　The Shangpaimen Ancient Village had taken shape during the Ming dynasty, gradually developed in scale during the Qing dynasty, and was expanded in the southeast and northwest during the Republic of China period. For example, the Tang Family’s New and Old Houses, Tang Shuyin’s Old House, and Tang Family’s Ru’s Old House from the Republic of China era were all built adjacent to the ancient village and integrated with it as a whole.

　　The layout of houses, courtyards, corridors, and ditches in the Shangpaimen Ancient Village is well-coordinated, the space is compact and richly varied in charm, and the architectural color scheme is simple and elegant. Its site selection and planning fully embody the traditional concept of harmony between man and nature. From the natural environment outside the village to the architecture within, the original appearance of the ancient village has been completely preserved, giving it high historical, artistic, and scientific value. It serves as an important physical carrier for the development of cultural heritage tourism.

　　Source: Tongcheng Cultural Relics and Museums