Former residence of Yu Qiaqing in Longshan, Protected national heritage site in Longshan, China
The former residence of Yu Qiaqing in Longshan is an early 20th-century national heritage site featuring multiple interconnected courtyards and detailed wooden carvings throughout. The buildings spread across several levels with traditional roof structures and walls that separate different living quarters from one another.
The estate was built in 1916 as a private residence for the wealthy merchant Yu Qiaqing and reflected the power of the local business elite. After serving multiple purposes throughout the 20th century, it became a protected monument of national importance.
The residence shows how prosperous merchants lived in the early 1900s, with traditional wooden carvings and open courtyards that shaped family life. This layout reveals how well-off families of that period organized their daily routines across different pavilions and gardens.
The grounds are walkable with several staircases and narrow passages between buildings, so comfortable shoes are a good idea. Visitors should allow enough time to explore all the courtyards and wings at their own pace.
The property was a private residence, then a school, and later an events center during its lifetime, showing how it adapted over more than a century. This changing history makes it an unusual monument that combines three very different periods and purposes.
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