Fanjiang Old House Group Introduction
The famous Fan-Jiang old house cluster in Xinwu features five old houses that embody the simple characteristics of Hakka architecture, designed in a traditional courtyard style surrounded by brick walls, forming a square layout. House No. 9 in the Fan-Jiang old house cluster is designated as a city historic site known as Fan-Jiang Ancestral Hall, with a plaque reading "Tao Wei Liu Fang" crafted from Jiaozhi pottery. The incense burners and ceramic jars inside the hall are valuable cultural relics, and the painted walls, wood carvings, and brick sculptures are also highlights. House No. 6, adorned with the plaque "Tao Wei Gao Feng," offers a serene atmosphere with its scroll-patterned windows, white walls, and stone carvings in the front yard. House No. 3 is distinguished by its exquisite carvings on the ridge, eaves, and both sides of the main entrance. House No. 2 features a compound architectural style with white walls, red bricks, and a pebbled gate wall. The red brick structure of House No. 1, with its gabled roof resembling a swallowtail, evokes a sense of nostalgia for former glory, as if time stands still here. The ancestral hall holds grand spring and autumn ceremonies every year on the 5th day of the 4th lunar month and the 1st day of the 8th lunar month, marking the most significant gathering and worship activities. The Fan-Jiang old house cluster fully showcases the features of traditional Hakka courtyards and is a wonderful spot for visitors who enjoy historical exploration and photography. The Zuo Horizontal House cluster was restored in 2021 under the theme "Horizontal House Highlights," planning six revitalization areas, including the Bayin Music Hall, Reading Time, Arts and Crafts Classroom, Mini Art Gallery, Cultural Tea House, and Lifestyle Book House. Leading among these areas is the Bayin Music Hall, exhibiting traditional Bayin instruments for the public to experience, allowing visitors to try their hand at the instruments commonly seen and heard at temple fairs. Additionally, the Fan-Jiang family boasts many talented painters, and the oil paintings of contemporary artist Fan-Jiang Minghua are displayed in the Mini Art Gallery, bringing to life the vibrant local culture through themes of shadow puppetry. Furthermore, the Cultural Tea House offers a new taste of literary culture for tea drinking in the old house, while the open-style Lifestyle Book House facilitates parent-child reading. Reading Time and the Arts and Crafts Classroom bring guests closer to the historic site.
