The memorial gates in Bao's Family Garden scenic area are arranged in a semi-circular arc. [Photo/WeChat ID: cnhsta]
The Bao's Family Garden scenic area is located in Tangyue village, which is 10 kilometers away from Shexian county, administered by Huangshan city in Anhui province. It consists of ancient memorial gates, ancestral temples, ancient dwellings and the Bao's Family Garden itself.
The Bao family has been living in Tangyue village for more than 800 years. In the scenic area, there are seven solemn and majestic memorial gates arranged in a semi-circular arc, representing the core values of loyalty, filial piety, reputation and righteousness.
The Dunben ancestral temple facing south, commonly known as the male temple, has three courtyards and five standard rooms. The structure of the whole ancestral temple is rather simple. The pillars are made from gingko trees and the beams are made from camphorwood. The bricks, wood and stones are not complicated, reflecting Confucian philosophy. There are also inscriptions that describe the clan management system and three monuments for imperial edicts dating back to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), which are rare examples that can be used to study the patriarchal system.
The Qingyi ancestral temple facing north is commonly known as the female temple. There are three courtyards, five standard rooms and high walls shaped like horse heads. The structure is compact and elegant. The walls outside the hall are exquisitely decorated with brick carvings, making it the most decorated temple in Huizhou area.
A wall featuring a special landscape in the Bao's Family Garden. [Photo/WeChat ID: cnhsta]
The Bao's Family Garden covers an area of 21.73 hectares, including 5.33 hectares each for the artificial lakes and the potted landscape gardens, which have a wide range of varieties and forms. Based on the private gardens of the Huizhou merchants, they have collected the most spectacular designs of the Huizhou-style potted landscapes and have gathered the representative work of various schools for potted landscapes in China.
The scenic area is a registered key site under national-level protection, a world cultural heritage site, a national 5A level scenic spot and a famous historical and cultural village of China. It is one of the top 10 scenic spots in Huangshan city and has won many honors in Anhui province.
One of the elegant examples of the potted landscapes in Bao's Family Garden. [Photo/WeChat ID: cnhsta]