The Wang Family Compound (also variously called the Wang Family Grand Courtyard, Wang Family Mansion, or Wang Family Manor) is the largest of the

Shanxi Courtyard Houses The courtyard houses of Shanxi or the Shanxi family compounds are located in Jinzhong, Shanxi Province, People's Republic of China, approximately 500 km south of Beijing. "These castle-like structures were constructed in the Qing dynasty by loc ...

. Located in

Lingshi County Lingshi County () is a county of southwest-central Shanxi province, China. It is under the administration of Jinzhong Jinzhong, formerly Yuci, is a prefecture-level city in east central Shanxi province of the People's Republic of China, bord ...

Shanxi Shanxi (; ; formerly romanised as Shansi) is a landlocked province of the People's Republic of China and is part of the North China region. The capital and largest city of the province is Taiyuan, while its next most populated prefecture-lev ...

, the fortress compound is a tight arrangement of courtyard residences. It is one of 123 residences listed as part of the "Ancient Residences in Shanxi and Shaanxi Provinces" entry in the

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

World Heritage A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...

Tentative List in 2008 in the cultural category.

History

The compound was built by the county's Wang family, one of four historically prominent families in the county. The local Wang family traces to a migration from

Taiyuan Taiyuan (; ; ; Mandarin pronunciation: ; also known as (), ()) is the capital and largest city of Shanxi Province, People's Republic of China. Taiyuan is the political, economic, cultural and international exchange center of Shanxi Province. ...

to Jinsheng in 1312 during the

Yuan Dynasty The Yuan dynasty (), officially the Great Yuan (; xng, , , literally "Great Yuan State"), was a Mongol-led imperial dynasty of China and a successor state to the Mongol Empire after its division. It was established by Kublai, the fifth ...

. According to family lore the wealth of the family grew from selling bean curd. The local Wangs would reach its apex of wealth and power in 18th century after accumulating riches from business and government position. Over the course of several generations the compound was built on a grand scale during the period from the reign of the

Kangxi Emperor The Kangxi Emperor (4 May 1654– 20 December 1722), also known by his temple name Emperor Shengzu of Qing, born Xuanye, was the third emperor of the Qing dynasty, and the second Qing emperor to rule over China proper, reigning from 1661 to 1 ...

(1661–1722) to the

Jiaqing Emperor The Jiaqing Emperor (13 November 1760 – 2 September 1820), also known by his temple name Emperor Renzong of Qing, born Yongyan, was the sixth emperor of the Manchu-led Qing dynasty, and the fifth Qing emperor to rule over China proper, fro ...

(1796–1820). By the 19th century the fortunes of the family declined and some members took to degeneracy, opium smoking, and public corruption. The Wang family was ousted from the family compound during the

Second Sino-Japanese War The Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) or War of Resistance (Chinese term) was a military conflict that was primarily waged between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. The war made up the Chinese theater of the wider Pacific Th ...

Location

The scattered site made up of several dwelling areas is built on the slope of the Mianshan Mountain on a loessial terrace and faces a river. The gardens are located on multiple levels at different elevations. The compound overlooks village homes of Jingsheng village, which is about away from the county seat of Lingshi. Jingsheng has a history of continuous settlement dating to the

Neolithic age The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several parts ...

Layout

As the building of the compound was a multi-generation endeavor, construction clusters arose one by one. The first two areas of opulent residences were in the Yongcui and Suorui lanes. During the reign of the Qianlong Emperor, the Zhongling lane and Hongmen, Gongji, and Dongnan fortresses were also built. The Chongning Fortress was built during the reign of the

Yongzheng Emperor , regnal name = , posthumous name = Emperor Jingtian Changyun Jianzhong Biaozhen Wenwu Yingming Kuanren Xinyi Ruisheng Daxiao Zhicheng Xian()Manchu: Temgetulehe hūwangdi () , temple name = Shizong()Manchu: Šidzung () , house = Aisin Gioro ...

. The last residence area to be built was the Gaojiaya dwelling area from 1796 to 1811. In all there are 231 courtyards and 2,078 rooms on the site situated across 8 hectares. The courtyards are two stories and covered by slate gray roof tiles. The main area of the compound is symmetrical and divided by a moat over which crosses a stone bridge. The four circles of walls are multi-tiered, protecting different layers of dwelling areas from outside threats. Within the courtyards are rooms, kitchens, schools, and prayer pavilions. The ornate stone, brick and wood carvings have themes based on folk customs and folk arts.

References

{{reflist Major National Historical and Cultural Sites in Shanxi Courtyards Jinzhong AAAA-rated tourist attractions Traditional folk houses in China

History

Location

Layout

See also

References