Wu Hsiu-tsai's Residence Introduction
Wu Scholar's Residence, located in the Shangku settlement of Shangqi Village, is the largest ancient house on Lieyu Island, built in the 20th year of the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty by Wu Jingshan, who became wealthy through maritime transportation and salt fields. The structure is a three-section large courtyard with two side-pavilions and double dragon guardians. After Wu's fifth-generation descendant, Wu Yushan, passed the scholar examination in the late Guangxu era, a study and school were established in front of the ancient house to provide free education for local children. This initiative received great affection from the community, leading the residents of Lieyu to refer to the Wu family mansion as "Scholar's Residence," a name that has remained to this day. The layout and decorations within Wu Scholar's Residence exhibit a clear division of space, with balanced symmetrical arrangements; the front serves as a hall, and the back as the main hall, which features altars and portraits of Wu ancestors. The main hall’s beams display a Tiangong furnace, Tian Gong lanterns, and a "Tian Ding" lantern, which bears the inscription "Yanling Yanpai." A "Xianjian" area has been preserved in the left dragon's guardian space for the host to drink tea and sing Nanguan music. The roof design of Wu Scholar's Residence features the common "hard mountain with two water ridges" style seen in Kinmen, showcasing both swallow-tail and horse-back ridge forms. The swallow-tail ridge sculpture is adorned with delicate figures, animals, and landscape depictions, presenting a fine, exquisite, and rigidly constructed mansion worthy of admiration.
