House of the Huangcheng Chancellor

Edit links
Coordinates: 35°30′52″N 112°34′39.5″E / 35.51444°N 112.577639°E / 35.51444; 112.577639
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

House of the Huangcheng Chancellor
Hanyu Pinyin
Guīchéng
Wade–GilesKuei Ch'êng

The House of the Huangcheng Chancellor, also known by its Chinese name, Huangcheng Xiangfu,

village occupying a hollow above the Changhe Valley between Yangcheng and Jincheng in southeastern Shanxi, China. It is composed of numerous siheyuan-style courtyards built into the side of a hill, overlooked by defensive towers and enclosed by high crenellated walls that divide it into two sections. The fortifications were built in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, during the late Ming and early Qing
dynasties.

It has been called the "greatest cultural residence in North China".

AAAAA rating in 2011.[7]

History

The Chen family in Shanxi began erecting buildings on Phoenix Hill overlooking the

provincial examinations.[11]

The property was encastellated for Chen Changyan in 1633.[11] The fortifications served to protect the household and its attendant villagers from unrest during the reign of the Chongzhen Emperor.[12] This "inner city" (内城, Nèichéng)[13] runs along a north–south axis along the side of the hill, facing downhill toward the west.[6]

The compound was expanded in 1703 for Chen Tingjing, tutor to the Kangxi Emperor of the Qing and the chief editor of the Kangxi Dictionary.[11] His "outer city" (外城, Wàichéng) lies on flat ground against the entrance to the upper section of the estate, facing south toward the warehouses and shops lining the Street of Ancient Culture.[6] Supposedly, the grand nature of the finished complex drew charges of disloyalty and imperial pretensions from Chen's political opponents, but he claimed to have established it to please his mother, who wished to see Beijing, but was too frail to complete the journey.[6][14] In any case, the Kangxi Emperor visited the location twice, praising it and its owner, who never fell from his favor.

The site was damaged during the

RMB restoration starting in 1998,[15] and the China National Tourism Administration named the House of the Huangcheng Chancellor a AAAAA tourist attraction in 2011.[16] By 2012, it was attracting millions of visitors each year.[17]

Architecture

The Tower of Rivers and Mountains

The walls have nine gates and enclose 19 gardens and 640 rooms.[11] In its present form, almost all of the structures are organized in the siheyuan style, with most buildings opening onto enclosed and interconnected courtyards.[12]

The Shideyuan[b] (世德院, Shìdéyuàn; 1505 x 1521) encloses three lofty rooms on the hilltop,[8] now at the southeast corner of the "inner city".[18] It was the site of Chen Tingjing's birth in 1638.[8] The yard to its rear is flanked to the north by the Zhongyi and to the south by the Yongkun. Both are composed of a three-story main building with two-story wing buildings extending forward at each side.[18]

Rongshan's House (

mandarin. He began to serve under the Jiajing Emperor, eventually reaching the rank of vice-inspector for Shaanxi.[19]

The Clan Temple

worshipping hall in the front and a hall of celebrated ancestors in the back.[20]

The Tower of Rivers and Mountains

zhangs, 4 chi long (jinshen).[21] Its basement accesses multiple secret tunnels; it also includes a well and room for food stores to wait out longer sieges.[23] It was completed in a span of seven months [21] and supposedly proved its worth shortly after construction, when locals easily weathered a raid that devastated the neighboring village of Guoyu.[23]

The Villa of the Golden Mean

s 中道庄, Zhōngdàozhuāng; 1642)[24][f] was Chen Tingjing's primary residence.[24]

The House of the Academician (

s 大学士第, Dàxuéshì Dì) or Chancellor[g] (相府院, Xiāngfǔyuàn; 1644–1703)[26] is a complete household with gardens, a hall, a study, bedrooms, and servant quarters.[27] It was visited by the Kangxi Emperor twice,[26] and he wrote a plaque in its honor.[27]

The Studying Rooms

s 南书院, Nánshūyuàn; 1651) are a courtyard and adjacent classrooms used for centuries by tutors to educate the younger members of the family.[28]

The Zhiyuan Garden (

s 止园, Zhǐyuán; 1661) is the biggest garden in the estate, covering 1.1 hectares (2.7 acres).[29][i]

The Stone Portal (

Minister of Personnel. It is decorated with panels detailing the accomplishments of the Chens over the preceding five generations.[31] A plaque by the Kangxi Emperor reads "Nine winners of the state examination within one family full of virtues and good deeds, and six academicians throughout three generations bearing the favor and trust of the Emperor".[6]

The Tower of Imperial Handwriting (

s 御书楼, Yùshūlóu; 1714) was built to store plaques and other written documents given to the family by the Kangxi Emperor.[32]

Other areas of the estate include the Douzhuju Residence

rockeries imitating Shandong's Mount Tai;[7] the Housekeepers' Yard (管家院, Guǎnjiāyuàn) with the small,[18] lower-ranking servants' quarters;[43] and a Street of Ancient Culture (古文化街, Gǔwénhuā Jiē) in the estate's old trading and warehousing area.[44]

Performances

The estate holds a ceremony imitating those held to welcome the Kangxi Emperor.[7]

Museums

The Chinese Dictionary Museum

The Inspector's House (御史府, Yùshǐfǔ) was originally the home of Chen Changyan, an uncle of Chen Tingjing, who served as the imperial inspector for Zhejiang. It is now used as a museum to describe Yangcheng County's history of iron casting.[45]

The complex now also houses the Chinese Dictionary Museum (

Kangxi Zidian, compiled under Chen Tingjing.[46] The museum has 128 editions of the dictionary, the earliest copy having been donated by Hua Shaofeng in 2014 and dating to the Kangxi Era. It is so fragile that special tools are used to turn its pages.[2]

In popular culture

Ten movies or television shows have been produced at the mansion since its reopening in 1998, including the 2001 CCTV drama Kangxi Dynasty.[1]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Also known as the "Premier's Mansion",[1] "Royal Residence of the Premier",[2] the "Royal Prime Minister's Palace",[3] and the "House of the Chancellor at Huangcheng".[4]
  2. ^ Also known as the "Shide Courtyard".[18]
  3. ^ Also known as the "Chen Ancestral Hall"[15] and the "Patriarch Temple".[7]
  4. ^ Also known as the "Heshan Tower".[21]
  5. ^ Also known as the "Zhongdao Villa".[7]
  6. ^ The English article on the villa gives the mistaken date "1429".[25]
  7. ^ Also known as the "House of the Grand Scholar",[23] "Grand Secretary",[7] or "Minister of Personnel".[23]
  8. ^ Also known as the "South Academy".[7]
  9. ^ The English article mistakenly identifies the Zhiyuan Garden as the West Garden.[30]
  10. ^ Also known as the "Spring and Autumn Pavilion".[15]
  11. ^ The English article mistakenly identifies the Qilin Yard as the Wanghe Pavilion.[39]
  12. ^ Also known as the "Ladies' Yard".[7]
  13. ^ Also known as the "Mu Garden".[7]

References

Citations

  1. ^ a b c "Premier's Mansion", Welcome to Shanxi, China, Beijing: China Daily Information Co., 12 July 2012, archived from the original on 30 November 2017, retrieved 23 November 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Oldest Kang Xi Dictionary on Display in Shanxi", Welcome to Shanxi, China, Beijing: China Daily Information Co., 29 May 2014, archived from the original on 30 November 2017, retrieved 23 November 2017.
  3. ^ "Royal Prime Minister's Palace", Scenic Spots, Taiyuan: Shanxi Provincial Tourism Bureau, 2012, archived from the original on 18 July 2017, retrieved 23 November 2017.
  4. ^ Official site (2014), "Contact Us".
  5. ^ Official site (2014), "About".
  6. ^ a b c d e Wang (2016), p. 75.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "House of the Huangcheng Chancellor", Travel China Guide, Xi'an: Xi'an Marco Polo Int'l Travel Service, retrieved 23 November 2017.
  8. ^ a b c Official site (2014), "Shideyuan".
  9. ^ "Huangcheng Premier's Mansion", Welcome to Shanxi, China, Beijing: China Daily Information Co., 9 July 2012, archived from the original on 30 November 2017, retrieved 23 November 2017.
  10. ^ a b "Huang Cheng Xiang Fu of Shangxi", Awesome Retirement, WordPress, 25 September 2017.
  11. ^ a b c d "House of the Huangcheng Chancellor in China's Shanxi", China.org, Beijing: China Internet Information Center, 11 June 2015.
  12. ^ a b Wang (2016), p. 80.
  13. ^ Official site (2014), "斗筑居". (in Chinese)
  14. ^ "皇城相府", Scenic Spots, Taiyuan: Shanxi Provincial Tourism Bureau, 2012, archived from the original on 18 July 2017, retrieved 23 November 2017. (in Chinese)
  15. ^ a b c d Ma Fangji; et al. (16 June 2016), "Huang Cheng Xiang Fu Looking for Development", Italy in Wuhan, WordPress.
  16. ^ "5A级景区", Official site, Beijing: China National Tourism Administration, 7 November 2017, archived from the original on 5 September 2008, retrieved 23 November 2017. (in Chinese)
  17. ^ "Top 10 Attractions in Shanxi", Welcome to Shanxi, China, Beijing: China Daily Information Co., 8 October 2012, archived from the original on 30 November 2017, retrieved 23 November 2017.
  18. ^ a b c d e Wang (2016), p. 81.
  19. ^ Official site (2014), "Rongshan's House".
  20. ^ Official site (2014), "The Clan Temple" & "The Clan Temple".
  21. ^ a b c d Wang (2016), p. 79.
  22. ^ Official site (2014), "Tower of Rivers and Mountains".
  23. ^ a b c d e f Wang (2016), p. 78.
  24. ^ a b Official site (2014), "中道庄". (in Chinese)
  25. ^ Official site (2014), "Villa of the Golden Mean".
  26. ^ a b Official site (2014), "大学士第". (in Chinese)
  27. ^ a b Official site (2014), "House of the Academician".
  28. ^ Official site (2014), "Studying Rooms".
  29. ^ Official site (2014), "止园". (in Chinese)
  30. ^ a b Official site (2014), "West Garden".
  31. ^ Official site (2014), "Stone Portal".
  32. ^ Official site (2014), "Tower of Imperial Handwriting".
  33. ^ Official site (2014), "Douzhuju Residence".
  34. ^ Official site (2014), "Wenchang Tower".
  35. ^ Official site (2014), "Chunqiu Tower of General Guan".
  36. ^ Official site (2014), "Xishanyuan Courtyard".
  37. ^ Official site (2014), "Cave of Fighters".
  38. ^ Official site (2014), "麒麟院". (in Chinese)
  39. ^ Official site (2014), "Wanghe Pavilion".
  40. ^ Official site (2014), "Wanghe Pavilion".
  41. ^ Official site (2014), "Yard of Young Ladies".
  42. ^ Official site (2014), "Ziyunqian Graveyard".
  43. ^ Official site (2014), "Housekeepers' Yard".
  44. ^ Official site (2014), "Street of Ancient Culture".
  45. ^ Official site (2014), "Inspector's House".
  46. ^ a b Official site (2014), "Dictionary Museum".

Bibliography

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to House of the Huangcheng Chancellor.

35°30′52″N 112°34′39.5″E / 35.51444°N 112.577639°E / 35.51444; 112.577639

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=House_of_the_Huangcheng_Chancellor&oldid=1144460864"