Gong's Old House Introduction
Proceeding along the Elderly Path in front of the Chen Family Ancient Residence, take a right at the first fork, and you will soon discover another ancient building—Gong Family Ancient Residence—which is better preserved and has a more quaint and elegant environment. About a century ago, the ancestors of the Gong family, four brothers, relocated from Tuku Village in Ligang Township, Pingtung County, to settle in Elderly Village. The ancient residence is designed in a Sanheyuan (a traditional Chinese courtyard house) style, covering an area of about 0.33 hectares and consists of thirty rooms, all of which are interconnected. In the center of the front yard is an altar dedicated to Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy, while the main area of the backyard is a shrine dedicated to the ancestors of the Gong family. The beams and pillars of the Gong family residence are made from "Fujian Fir," which has stood strong for a century. The walls are approximately 36 cm thick, made entirely of a mix of stone and lime, with no cement used. The door and wall carvings depict auspicious symbols such as landscapes, dragons, phoenixes, qilins, and cranes, still vividly intact despite enduring a century of wind and rain. The windows feature wall carvings shaped like books, inscribed with poetry, with each pane containing different content, the handwriting of which is still clearly visible today. The floors of the front and back courtyards are paved with red bricks arranged in a diamond pattern to prevent cracking, showcasing the scientific aspect of the architecture.
