What are the characteristics of the Xiguan Big House in Lingnan?

To understand the culture of Guangzhou preferred Xiguan, that is the epitome of Lingnan culture; Xiguan Dajia is the essence of Xiguan architectural culture.

Xiguan, in the Ming Dynasty has become the commercial center of Guangzhou city, eighteen Fu in the Ming Dynasty has gradually formed. And Xiguanjiao was formed in the Qing Dynasty during the Tongzhi and Guangxu years, the scope of which includes Wenchang Bridge, Daguan Bridge, Pantang, and the area around Changhua Garden.

Specifically, during the Qianjia period, the rich merchants who gathered in Xiguan built traditional Guangzhou folk houses with Lingnan characteristics in the area of "Xiguanjiao" in the thirteen rows of the prosperous commercial district, which was called "Xiguan Daiya". It absorbed the characteristics of garden architecture and household in the Central Plains, combined with the characteristics of the Lingnan climate, and formed a unique local style.

Xiguan big house is tall and bright, hall group combination, elegant interior decoration, can be said to set the arts and crafts of the great, wood and stone brick carvings, ceramic molding gray molding, frescoes and stone scenery, glass and iron leakage flower, Manchurian window, carved color patterns, mahogany furniture, wood carving flower decoration, threshold window, etc., are very rich Lingnan flavor and style.

Xiguan big house is mostly brick structure, brick stone foot, tall main door with granite inlay. Its plan layout according to the traditional form of the main hall house, basically the depth of the direction.

The typical plan is three rooms and two corridors. It is symmetrical on the left and right, with the main hall in the center. The central axis runs from the front to the back and from the south to the north, in order of porch, foyer, sedan chair hall, main hall, elders' room, patio, second hall and second room.

Each hall is one into, generally large houses for two or three into, forming quite a central axis. The front part of the two partial rooms on both sides has a study and a small courtyard on the left, and the partial rooms and guest rooms on the right.

Guest room for the top of the flat rooftop, for the cool, the moon and Miss Xiguan eve moon worship and so on. At the back of the side hall and guest room are bedrooms and kitchen. In the garden, flowers and trees are planted, and there is a rockery and a fish pond, which is quite elegant and secluded.

The porch of Xiguan Dajia is decorated with three kinds of doors, namely, a low-footed ceiling fan door, a bar door and a hardwood door. Trip bar is a movable fence, with 13 or 15 hard round wooden strips, horizontal opening and closing is called trip bar.

The corner door and the bar have the functions of ventilation and security, and they are special building components adapted to the hot and rainy climate of Lingnan. The gate of Xiguan Daiya is made of mahogany or camphor wood and other high-grade wood, about 8 centimeters thick, door knob copper ring, the foot of the door is hidden in the stone mortar, and the back of the door is fastened with a horizontal latch to prevent thieves and burglars.

The foyer is set up in the Heavenly Palace and the land god Shi, followed by the door 4, usually not open, only sedan chair guests to visit before opening, to show that the grand welcome. Only left the left and right two doors in and out, so that passers-by can not see the scene inside the door. Sedan chair hall is for guests and masters in and out of the sedan chair.

The hall is the main building of the house, with the largest area and the highest ridge. The whole hall is spacious and grand with red building, black rafters and white tiles. In order to make the hall brighter, the roof is staggered with bright tiles, i.e. glass tiles.

Behind the main hall is the head room, where the elders live, with bright tiles and high windows for light. The first room is followed by the second hall and the second room. The second room, also known as the "last room", is the last room on the central axis.

The halls are separated from each other by a small patio, which is covered with a small house and relies on high windows for light and ventilation. On both sides of the central axis, there are mainly study rooms, side rooms, bedrooms and stairwells, which are arranged symmetrically on the left and right.

The right side of the foyer is usually equipped with a small courtyard, planted with valuable flowers and trees, arranged stone mountains, stone scenery, fish oil or lotus pond for the master or guests to enjoy.

There is a Qingyun Lane on each side of the big house, which means "a smooth step to the blue clouds". Qingyun Lane is also known as "Cold Lane", "Fire Lane", "Water Lane", etc. It has various functions such as transportation, ventilation, lighting, drainage, drying, planting flowers and transporting feces and garbage.

Xiguan Daxue is the treasure of traditional architecture in Guangzhou. According to statistics, there are only more than 100 Xiguan Daxue houses in existence, and there are more than 10 of them with preservation value. The most famous Xiguan big houses are located in Baoyuan North Street No. 18, "Liang Zizheng Road", located in Duo Bao Road, Deng Gongbao Road, and located in the middle of the Baohua Road, about the Zhong family garden, and so on. Unfortunately, most of these famous gardens and mansions have long since ceased to exist.