Insider View
Unique Experience
To be explored soon…
Basic Information
Overview – Li Family Manor
Li Family Manor was built during the Daoguang Emperor’s reign in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) in Yanjing village, Wanrong county, 38 kilometers north of the city of Yuncheng, Shanxi province.
It was the family residence of Li Ziyong, a wealthy merchant in Shanxi.
The Manor is famous among the grand Manors of Shanxi merchants for its collection of Chinese, Japanese and European styles, including a Chinese quadrangle, Japanese sliding doors, and European Gothic architecture. Li once studied in Britain and married a British woman. The Manor is ornamented in various ways, giving it artistic, historical, and cultural value.
The Li family gained its wealth through traditional agriculture, then moved into commerce and industry. The family was also known for its benevolence. Inscribed on walls in the Manor are 365 shan, the Chinese character meaning benevolence. These inscriptions were there to remind generations of the Li family to do good deeds every day.
The Lis left their residence in 1938 when the Japanese army invaded Wanrong. They’ve since scattered among 15 countries. But neighbors protected their abode, largely in gratitude for the family’s contributions to the community.
Farmers covered the stone, brick, and wooden carvings with mud and plaster to protect the residence from Red Guards during the “cultural revolution.” They sank the stone tablets in the pond and disguised the wooden plaques as bed boards. They believed these may be valuable later.
There are 11 of its original 20 Manors that are well preserved, along with the ancestral temple and garden that covers 100,000 square meters.
Source: Wikipedia
Gallery
