Hua-tan ChungZhuang Li Residence Introduction
Hua Tan Zhong Zhuang Li Residence was built by its ancestor Li Shangbo from the third branch of the Li family. It is a traditional Sanheyuan (three-part compound) architecture. The wooden structure and most of the painted decorations in the main part of the Li Residence have largely maintained their original appearance, showcasing artistic value. The main hall serves as a place for worshipping deities and ancestral tablets, functioning as the location for the Li family's ancestral ceremonies. The main hall consists of three sections, and the main entrance features a six-panel door design that allows for all panels to be fully opened during ancestral worship for easy access. The main hall adopts a wooden truss system, while the octagonal windows in the side rooms symbolize the warding off of evil and the seeking of good fortune. The decorative beams above the main hall’s entrance and the octagonal windows are painted with motifs such as "Eight Immortals," "Wei River Invites Talents," and "Shun Tills the Mountain," although due to age, they are now severely damaged. The September 21 earthquake in 1999 caused damage to the Li Residence, collapsing the gate tower and courtyard walls, and displacing and damaging the roof tiles. In 2001, the residence was again affected by a typhoon, leaving only the main hall relatively intact. On April 10, 2002, the main hall of the Li Residence was registered as a historical building, and the dragon motifs on both sides were reconstructed in a style similar to the original using reinforced concrete materials. Source: Changhua County Cultural Affairs Bureau.
