Jiayin House

 

 

Jiayin House (嘉荫堂) in Tongli was built in 1922 and the owner of the mansion was Liu Bingnan (柳炳南), who was the relative of Liu Yazi (柳亚子, 1887 – 1958), a famous Chinese poet. Liu Yazi had once lived in the house.

The front door of Jiayin House is in Shanghai's Shikumen style, which is that the doorframe is built of stone bricks and the door is solid wood, the design and patterns are very simple. For Jiayin House, the bricks for building the outer walls have been specially processed to have smooth and reflecting surfaces. By looking the wall, you may feel delight and fresh before you go into the house. You will be welcomed by the three smiling and auspicious figures, Fu, Lu and Shou (in Chinese 福, 禄, 寿, which mean blessing, wealth and longevity).

The main architecture of Jiayin House is Gauze Cap Hall, which is built by imitation of the Ming Dynasty style. The ceiling of the spacious and majestic hall is very high. Carved patterns are all over the hall that will strongly catch your attention. The tranquil backstreet of Jiayin House is run along a small river. Leisurely walk along the street, look at the green trees and see the boats sailing on the river will be a great aesthetic experience.