Anhui

Anhui D7 | Huishang Grand Courtyard (Not Comparable to Qiao Family Compound) Huishang Grand Courtyard (P1) is not a single mansion, but a modern integration of 26 Huizhou-style buildings from the Ming, Qing, and Republic of China periods in She County that were relocated, renovated, and restored as a whole. ＊＊ These buildings include residences, archways, opera stages, pavilions, gardens, and waterside pavilions, forming a combined residential complex with hundreds of rooms, 36 patios, and 1,580 columns. (Ask deepseek for information about the builder, Xu Pulai.) ＊＊ Unlike the Qiao Family Compound, it is not an ancestral home where a certain family has lived for generations. [Therefore, I personally think that comparing it with the Qiao Family Compound is a publicity stunt.] ＊＊ Nevertheless, it is still an ancient architectural complex that integrates the essence of Huizhou architecture with historical culture. The grand courtyard is marked by horse-head walls and flying eaves (P7), and incorporates the "four waters returning to the hall" patio layout of Huizhou (P6). The patio is not only the core of lighting and ventilation, but also stores water through water tanks, which symbolizes "gathering wealth" and also serves as a fire-fighting function. [The Pinnacle of "Three Carvings" Art] The grand courtyard preserves more than 14,000 stone carvings (P8), wood carvings (P9-12), and brick carvings, covering themes such as flowers, figures, and auspicious animals. One of the stone carvings has a "page" small door (P8) at the top, which can be opened and closed with the change of wind force, combining decoration and "weather forecast" functions, with extremely high craftsmanship and can be called a unique product. [Epitome of Huizhou Merchants' Wealth] The grand courtyard is large in scale, covering an area of 13,000 square meters. Its construction cost a lot of money. The builder wanted to reflect the financial strength of Huizhou merchants in their heyday. The capital of Ming and Qing Huizhou merchants once accounted for more than half of the national treasury, and Emperor Qianlong even exclaimed, "Rich are the merchants, I can't compare." The luxurious decoration and complex structure of the mansion are a concrete manifestation of this economic strength. [Huizhou Water Conservancy and Disaster Prevention Wisdom] Practical functions are integrated into the architectural design, such as water tank fire prevention and patio drainage system. The water canal (ditch) network excavated by the ancients in Hongcun is also used for reference, reflecting the Huizhou people's construction concept of "harmony between man and nature." [Visiting Suggestions] 1. If you visit, you can hire a tour guide (CNY 50), who will explain for 1 hour, which is more rewarding than visiting by yourself. 2. There is no need to come here specifically, because it is not a cultural relic building, but an integrated object. 3. After the visit, you can go to the nearby "Laohukaiwen Ink Factory" for a free visit with explanation, where you can learn about the production of Huizhou ink and She inkstones (finally know how inkstones and ink are made). Because photography is not allowed in each workshop, only the raw stone of She inkstone---Longwei Stone (P13) at the door was photographed.