Chunglan Hsiao Family Ancient House Introduction
The Chonglan Hsiao Family Ancient House, built in 1880, has a history of over 130 years and is located in Chonglan Village, Pingtung City. Based on the appearance of the house seen today, it is not difficult to imagine the wealth of the Hsiao family during its heyday, as they were a prominent and philanthropic merchant family in Pingtung. During the Qing Dynasty's Qianlong period, Hsiao Weitian, an ancestor of the Hsiao family, came to Taiwan alone by crossing the sea. He initially engaged in farming and then started from scratch in the sugar trade. As the business prospered and wealth accumulated, he eventually became immensely wealthy. The Hsiao family was not only rich but also had a large number of descendants. To strengthen family bonds, the relatives often held various banquets. A saying that circulated at the time, "Chonglan Hsiao, three days without cooking is not hungry," reflects the family's comfortable lifestyle. The Hsiao family also made significant contributions to local education. For example, when Pingtung Academy was completed in 1815, the Hsiao family actively assisted in its promotion and operation. The "Kèyú Xuan" school next to the ancient house was where members of the Hsiao family took turns teaching Confucian studies to help local residents learn Chinese literature. After Taiwan's recovery, they even donated space for agricultural associations to provide education free of charge to ease the schooling burden on local children. The affluent Hsiao family naturally had lavish residential architecture. The Hsiao family ancient house adopts the Minnan architectural style, characterized by the use of red bricks, red tiles, and wood, with an emphasis on detailed decorations. Intricate carvings, such as the ornamental wooden framework of the entrance canopy and vivid koi-shaped wood sculptures, as well as window carvings of dragons and tigers and the decorative cut tinfoil and tail-style clay sculptures on the ridges, exemplify exquisite craftsmanship. In addition to traditional Chinese decorative styles, Western-style frieze paintings have been cleverly incorporated into the design, making it truly stunning. Today, the Hsiao family ancient house is an important cultural asset in the Chonglan area. To preserve this precious historical building and promote local community building projects, the Hsiao family ancient house has been planned as the "Ahou Local Cultural Center," which includes a local history data center and a creative workshop. Various cultural and artistic events are regularly held, gradually transforming the area into a cultural living space.
