Jianshui - The most luxurious Zhu Family Garden

Zhu Family Garden, located in the middle section of Jianxin Street in the ancient city of Jianshui, Yunnan, was built by the brothers Zhu Weiqing, local gentry at the end of the Qing Dynasty, and is known as the 'Grand View Garden of the Southwest Frontier'. The Zhu Family Garden covers an area of more than 20,000 square meters. The main building is laid out in a 'vertical four and horizontal three' pattern, which is a flexible combination of the traditional residential style of Jianshui, typically 'three rooms with six ears and a three-room hall, with one large courtyard and four small ones'. The layout of the houses is orderly, with courtyards layered and staggered, totaling 42 courtyards of various sizes. The entire group of buildings features steep ridges and flying eaves, carved beams and painted rafters, all exquisitely elegant. The arrangement of the courtyards and halls is reasonable, with a rich and endlessly varied spatial landscape, forming a 'maze-like' architectural complex. On a good day, it's very photogenic, and you can spend three hours inside, experiencing the luxurious life of a wealthy Yunnan gentry. Some of the back gardens are newly built. According to the locals, it used to be a military hospital, which is why it has been well preserved and has a first-class environment.