Huang Family Youtang Garden Villa in Shuitou

 Address:Geographical location : No.55, Qianshuitou, Jincheng Township, Kinmen County Longitude : 118.29814200371, Latitude : 24.4106429506844
 Subject:AssetClassification : Historic Monument, AssetsLevel : National Historic Monument, Asset Type : Mansion

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【Introduction】

Huang Family Youtang Garden Villa was built in the Qing Dynasty during the reign of Emperor Jiaqing (between 1796 and 1860) by Huang Jun, a wealthy business man also known as Huang Baiwan (“millionaire”).This is a building with a beautiful pond and known as “Youtang” because of the horizontal tablet inscribed with “Youtang” by Chen Bing-Heng which hangs above the gate. The garden villa surrounded by mountains and water was built as a secondary residence to the main house. Huang Family Youtang Garden Villa consists of the gateway house and the courtyard main house. The courtyard house is a two-row house compound surrounded by a clay wall in the front. The most distinctive feature is the large pond with the granite curve bridge that leads to the entrance gate. The L-shaped gatehouse is connected with the central house through a porch pavilion. A square well with low granite railings can be found in the walled courtyard. Next to the well is a round stone washtub for laundry. Behind the gatehouse is the front hall of a three-bay house with the rooftop composed of raised swallow-tail ridges. The front hall was once used as a private school classroon. Through the front hall and central hallway is the main hall, where a statue of Youtang’s founder, Huang Baiwan, is enshrined and worshipped. A book is held in one hand of Huang’s statue, indicating that he was well versed in both literature and etiquette despite being born into a wealthy merchant family. In view of the fact that part of the house was later used as a private school for students of Shuitou, the statue certainly provides a depiction that is enlightening.

 

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