Cheng's Ancient House in Tianxi, Gongsi Introduction
The Cheng's Ancient House located in Tamsui District, New Taipei City, is a well-preserved historical traditional building that showcases the features and cultural atmosphere of Minnan architecture from nearly a century in Tamsui. The development of the Company Tianxi area can be traced back to the Dutch era, and the Cheng's Ancient House is one of the few remaining farmhouses in the region, surrounded by bamboo and reeds, with flowing water nearby. It is a representative example of the traditional three-courtyard style of the old agricultural society, well-preserved and a testament to the history of development in the Tamsui area. During the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, Cheng Yao-shih settled in Taiwan from Jinjiang County, becoming the ancestor of the Tamsui Cheng family business. The creation date of the ancient house is unknown, but scholars believe it should be before the Sino-French War in 1884. During the battle of Huwei in this war, Qing soldiers were stationed here and successfully defeated the French army. The house is a typical three-courtyard farmhouse, surrounded by bamboo and reeds, with flowing water, serving as a model of local traditional farmhouses. The five-sided fire storage adopts a dual dragon-style architectural design, with a golden horseback ridge, and the walls made of locally abundant andesite combined with adobe bricks. The main room features defensive gun holes to protect against bandits of that time, and the exterior mountain walls have tile vents to protect the adobe bricks from rain. This is rare among similar buildings in the Tamsui area, showcasing the beauty of ancient architecture and the wisdom of our ancestors.
