Jiangnan Grand Mansions: Lu Residence

Author: Written by Lin Yu, Photographed by Shen Yicheng and Yuan Yinchang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-04-01
Features: During the Tianxi period of the Northern Song Dynasty, Lu Lian, a Hanlin scholar, was appointed to oversee the schools in Jiangnan. He often admired the mountains and waters of Dongyang and thus moved to the western part of Dongyang. His family continued for three generations. Over the following 800 years, spanning the Yuan, Ming, Qing, and Republican periods, the Lu family remained prosperous, becoming a renowned and influential family in Jiangnan. Due to their prosperity, the Lu family successively built grand halls, residences, gardens, pavilions, and academies. As the saying goes, "North has the Forbidden City, South has Suyong." Locals have long passed down this phrase. "Suyong" refers to rituals and "harmony in family affairs." The spatial sequence of the Suyong Hall mirrors that of the Forbidden City in Beijing, with nine courtyards in total and an axis spanning over 300 meters. It is the only ancient residential building in China with nine courtyards. The entire Suyong Hall resembles a folk Forbidden City. The exquisite wood carvings on the windows, doors, and entrance halls are invaluable, having endured the test of time. Each carving tells a folk story, such as those from Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Water Margin, Mu Guiying's Commanding, the Opium War, Yongzheng Dynasty, and April in the Human World. Scenes from numerous films and TV dramas, including Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Water Margin, Mu Guiying's Commanding, the Opium War, Yongzheng Dynasty, and April in the Human World, have been filmed here. Lu is also a folk museum. In these idle old houses, there are many folk tools, including grinding mills, ribbon-weaving machines, looms, grain-threshing machines, winders, and various ancient agricultural tools.