Dongli Family Tradition - Century-Old House Introduction
Yuanli Township was originally the habitat of the Takasago people (also known as the Pingpu people). Before the Qing Dynasty, there were four Takasago communities: "Fangli," "Yuanli," "Maozu," and "Ribei." The area around Zhonggouwei (the western end of the Zhonggou area) features flat and expansive terrain, where the "Zhengjia settlement in Zhonggou" was built under the guidance of ancestors with insightful advice. The overall architectural layout of the "Zhengjia settlement in Zhonggou" faces north and looks south. From a distance to the south, it is visually impressive with mountains to the north (behind) and a stream to the south (front); to the right stands the "Zheng Family Old House," in the center sits the "Dongli Family Courtyard" with a traditional three-section compound, and to the left is the "Zheng Residence," a Japanese-style ancient building. The entire area forms a massive and spectacular compound. The "Dongli Family Courtyard," with its exterior resembling traditional three-section compound architecture, is currently one of Taiwan's rare and well-preserved red brick and glazed tile buildings. Supported by government restoration and protection efforts, it showcases exquisite and intricate original architectural artistry based on traditional Chinese construction methods. The century-old dragon cypress tree in the courtyard, coupled with the main body of the three-section courtyard connecting the auxiliary buildings on either side, has made it a distinctive area for homestays, attracting various television stations for filming; it is also one of the significant tourist attractions in Yuanli Township.
