The Cai’s Ancient Residential Architectural Complex preserves 16 relatively intact residential[...]
The Cai’s Ancient Residential Architectural Complex preserves 16 relatively intact residential buildings, arranged in parallel order on a rectangular plot of about 3 hectares (more than 40 acres), with a total length of over 200 meters from east to west and a width of over 100 meters from north to south, covering an area of 15,300 square meters.
The buildings mostly feature dougong (brace and tie-beam) structures with hard mountain or rolled roof styles. Between the front and back seats, there are stone courtyards over 10 meters wide, and fireproof passages two meters wide between the gable walls.
Each building in the complex features high, curved roof ridges, carved beams and painted rafters, and three-dimensional wall brick and stone reliefs at the entrance. The windows are intricately carved with flowers and birds, and the decorations are exquisitely beautiful. The walls and halls are adorned with calligraphy and paintings, each with its unique charm, including seal script, clerical script, running script, and regular script, all from famous figures of the time.
Wood carvings, clay sculptures, brick carvings, and stone carvings are ubiquitous, showcasing exquisite craftsmanship, mostly employing techniques such as through, floating, and flat carving. The content of the carvings is rich and varied, including flowers, birds, fish, insects, landscape, and characters, with simple and elegant patterns.
At the same time, the ancient residential complex is celebrated as a genuine museum of Qing Dynasty Southern Fujian architecture due to its grand scale, orderly layout, exquisite carvings, and rich connotations.
The complex is open all year round from 9:00 to 17:00, with specific business status subject to the day’s opening conditions.
Special policy supplement: 1. There is no preferential policy for this scenic spot at present, and specific information should be based on the day’s disclosure by the Cai’s Ancient Residential Architectural Complex.
