former residence of Hu Xueyan

Hu Xueyan was the richest man in the late Qing Dynasty. The gate was unimportant, and the simple white walls made it hard to imagine the luxury of the house. In this huge rectangular residential community, there were thirteen floors and Zhiyuan, pavilions, small bridges, running water, and hidden corridors. The design was ingenious, and the brick, wood, and stone carvings were all exquisite. The quality of the selected wood is even more impressive. High grade wood such as red sandalwood, sour branches, Phoebe, gingko, Nanyang fir and Chinese beech can be found everywhere, which can be called the first residence of Chinese tycoons in the late Qing Dynasty. Among them, the 13th floor is mainly used to accommodate many wives and concubines, separated by fire and wind walls. Zhiyuan is the main building of the building. At that time, Hangzhou had the reputation of "breaking a branch of Feilai peak, like the miniature of Lion Forest". The rockery in the garden is the largest existing artificial cave in China. In the former residence, there are also calligraphy and stone carvings by Dong Qichang, Zheng Banqiao, Tang Bohu, Wen Zhengming and other famous artists. Among them, two rare mahogany official sedans are worth seeing.

former residence of Hu Xueyan

Hu Xueyan's former residence is located in Yuanbao street in the east of Hefang Street and dajingxiang historical and cultural reserve in Hangzhou. It was built in 1872, the 11th year of Tongzhi in the Qing Dynasty, at the peak of Hu Xueyan's career. At that time, the project lasted three years and was completed in 1875. The former residence is a magnificent residence with Chinese traditional architectural characteristics and Western architectural style. The whole building is long from north to South and wide from east to west, covering an area of 10.8 Mu and a construction area of 5815 square meters. The former residence can be regarded as the first luxury house of Chinese giant businessman in the late Qing Dynasty, whether from the architecture or the furnishings of interior furniture, with exquisite materials.

Introduction to scenic spots

Hu Xueyan's former residence, located in the east of Hefang Street and dajingxiang historical and cultural reserve in Hangzhou, was built in 1872, with a construction area of more than 5800 square meters. Hu Xueyan's former residence is the first residence of a Chinese businessman in the late Qing Dynasty.

There are many pavilions in the old house, such as Zhiyuan, the 13th floor. There are two rare mahogany official sedans worth seeing. Hu Xueyan, a native of Hangzhou, is from Jixi, Anhui Province. As a boy, he worked as a clerk in a bank in Hangzhou. Later, with the support of Wang Youling, governor of Zhejiang Province, he set up his own Fukang bank. Because of his contribution to Zuo Zongtang, he was rewarded by the imperial court. He was granted the title of political envoy and was given a red top. He rode in the Forbidden City and wore a yellow mandarin jacket. In his heyday, Hu Xueyan not only ran a bank, but also engaged in grain, real estate, pawn, import and export of arms, raw silk, etc. later, he founded the national medicine brand of Hu qingyutang and became a red top merchant for a time.

Basic overview

On January 20, 2001, Hu Xueyan's former residence was officially opened to the public after 16 months of day and night construction by more than 500 workers. After surveying and mapping, archaeology, design and maintenance, the total cost of the former residence is 600 million yuan.

Profile

Hu Xueyan (1823-1885) was a famous Chinese businessman in the 1970s and 1980s. His experience is full of legend. He started from a small group in the bank, and worked for the imperial court by making friends with dignitaries and helping with relief. During the Westernization Movement, he employed foreign hemp craftsmen and equipment to lead the land. Zuo Zongtang went to the west to raise grain and equipment, borrowed foreign money, and set up a horse Thanks. After several twists and turns, he rose from a banker to a prominent businessman. He built a financial network based on banks and pawnshops, opened drugstores and silk shops, and did business with foreigners as well as with foreigners. Hu Xueyan's life, right and wrong, merits and demerits, here and only analyze his humanity. One of the most important reasons for Hu Xueyan's success is that he is good at employing people. He chooses people according to his merits and does not seek perfection. He said that a person's greatest ability is to employ people. Gu Sixie, a man of the Qing Dynasty, once wrote a poem: "a horse can be adventurous, but ploughing is not as good as cattle.". A strong car can carry a load, but a boat is not as good as crossing a river. It's hard to be wise if you give up the long and choose the short. The raw material is expensive and suitable, so be careful not to be too demanding. He had a poor family when he was young. In order to support his family, he was recommended by Yang's relatives and became an apprentice in Fukang bank. He began to work as a floor sweeper, urinator and handyman. After three years of hard work, he became an official clerk because of his diligence and steadiness. It was during this period that Hu Xueyan became a rich man in Hangzhou with the help of his friend Wang Youling.

Introduction to former residence

Through the analysis and identification of the wood samples of the original old buildings by the Forestry Department of Zhejiang Province and relevant experts in Beijing, it is found that the original buildings are made of gingko wood, Phoebe, sour wood, red sandalwood, Nanyang fir, Chinese beech and other valuable materials. The exact cost of the former residence in that year is unknown. It is said that it should be more than 500000 taels of silver (it is said that the rockery in Zhiyuan alone consumed more than 100000 taels of silver in that year).

Architectural features

Hu Xueyan's former residence has a compact layout and exquisite design. The living room blends with the garden, and the building materials are comparable to those of the imperial palace.

"The only way to succeed is to be generous and honest. There is a saying that Hu Xueyan is not rich to the end of a generation.

From the historical background, the decline of Hu Xueyan is also a tragedy of the times. In terms of "red top businessman", it is clear that his way of getting rich is the collusion of power and money between government and businessmen. Even if Hu Xueyan can quickly accumulate a mountain of wealth, he will inevitably be involved in the dirty political vortex. In addition, in the middle and late 19th century, western colonists had opened the door to China, and Hu Xueyan was squeezed by the strong ocean merchants, so his failure was inevitable. His decline adds a bit of tragic color to the times. Staying in Hu's house, I can't help feeling. Every tourist can feel different things, political, economic, cultural and artistic, from different angles in its window light, water and shadow, leaving people with a lot of useful thinking.

Character's former residence

structure

The grotesque rocks in Zhiyuan, the garden of the former residence, are extremely exquisite, and the rockery is the largest existing artificial karst cave in China. When you enter the former residence, you will feel as if you have entered a big labyrinth with the revolving porches and alleys, pavilions and pavilions, courtyard patios, cliff rockeries, small bridges and flowing water, zhuyizihe, and fine carving gatehouses; while Baishi building, suochun courtyard, Yixia courtyard, Xiqiu courtyard, Rongdong courtyard, Yanbi hall, zaifung hall, hele hall, and Qingya hall are all unique; wood carving, brick carving, stone carving, sculpture, and color painting are not unique I'm not good at it. In the former residence, there are also calligraphy and stone carvings by Dong Qichang, Zheng Banqiao, Tang Bohu, Wen Zhengming and other famous artists. The two exquisite mahogany official sedans in the sedan hall are worth appreciating.

destruction

In 1885, Hu Xueyan ended his legendary life in poverty and fear. In 1903, the Hu family had no choice but to pay the debt of the mansion to Wen Yu, the associate of the Minister of justice of the Ministry of criminal justice, and then transferred it to the Jiang family. After that, it became increasingly dilapidated. Before the restoration of the former residence, the former residence became a factory, an enterprise, a school and a folk house. In the east of the former residence, more than 100 households lived in hele hall and Qingya hall. The former residence has been in disrepair for a long time, and has long been in disrepair. There is a scene of dilapidation everywhere, and the cultural relic buildings have been seriously damaged.

repair

The restoration of Hu Xueyan's former residence strictly follows the principle of "not changing the original state", and is restored according to the requirements of the original sample, original structure, original construction technology, raw materials, and old as before. Therefore, the restored former residence in front of us basically reproduces the historical style of Hu Xueyan's former residence more than 120 years ago. Hu Xueyan's former residence is located in Yuanbao street, Southeast of Hangzhou. Walking off the bus, you can see the white wall more than 10 meters high. Hu Xueyan's former residence is hidden in the wall, which gives people a mysterious feeling. In the eyes of modern people, Yuanbao street, where Hu Xueyan lives, can only be regarded as a narrow alley. They are low at both ends and high in the middle. It is also said that it was once a treasure storage place in Zhejiang Province, so it was named Yuanbao street. Maybe Hu Xueyan chose this geomantic treasure land to build his mansion. Hu Xueyan is a madman. He is as rich as a country. He is an official as a political envoy (in charge of the wealth and civil affairs of a province). He wears two kinds of clothes and a yellow mandarin jacket. He is famous for his time. However, the gate of Hu Xueyan's mansion is not as broad and imposing as that of the house of the rich and powerful. It is said that it is because Hu Xueyan understands the truth that "deep love does not live long, strong will disgrace", so he expresses the intention of "hiding but not revealing". After all, Hu Xueyan is a rich businessman with his own psychology. The construction of the gate can also think of "hiding without revealing", while the interior of the gate is extremely luxurious. Hu Xueyan's former residence adopts the symmetrical layout of traditional residence in China. The central axis area is the reception hall, which is composed of sedan chair hall, main hall (i.e. baishilou) and four side hall; on the right side is the living courtyard, which is composed of Nanmu hall, Yuanyang hall, Qingya hall, hele hall, Yixia courtyard and Rongdong courtyard, for groups of wives and concubines to live in; on the left side is Zhi garden, which is connected by corridors and Quchi. Pavilions, platforms, buildings and pavilions are scattered, elegant and harmonious. There are also stele corridors, Red Army stone railings, small bridges and water pavilions. Every step of the way is scenery. Under the rockery in the garden, there is the largest existing artificial cave in China, which is tortuous and ingenious. The layout of the whole building is compact, the idea is exquisite, the living room and the garden blend, the building materials can be compared with the Imperial Palace, it can be said to play better. Wood carving, brick carving, stone carving, gray plastic painting, superb technology, it can be said that no product is not refined. The whole building took three years and cost 3 million taels of silver. It was a private mansion in the late Qing Dynasty in the south of the Yangtze River in China. Its beauty is just like a treasure house of folk arts and crafts. "The only way to succeed is to be honest and honest, and to be honest in life." This is a pair of couplets in the sedan Hall of Hu Xueyan's former residence, but it also tells us what Hu Xueyan was

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