What is the artistic value, social value and historical value of ancient buildings?
The three dynasties of Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong were the most prosperous and powerful periods in the Qing Dynasty, known as the "Kang, Yongzheng and Qianlong" prosperous times. Several ancient mansion compounds have been preserved in some villages in Xingyang, such as Taoli and Beizhou Village in Chengguan Township, Zhaocun in Bishui Town, Suzhai in Guangwu Town, and Youfang in Gaocun Township. Almost all were built at this time. These mansions and compounds provide the most vivid and authentic picture for understanding and confirming the social conditions during the Kangxi, Yongzong and Qianlong periods. Although these mansion compounds have their own merits in terms of preservation status, scale, and craftsmanship level, and all have certain research value, in terms of the number of preserved houses and the completeness of the courtyards, the Qin Family Courtyard in Youfang Village, Gaocun Township is the most highlighted. Youfang Village is currently the village in Xingyang City that preserves the most ancient brick and wood buildings. In the village, there are more than 10 mansions and more than 100 buildings and houses built by the ancestors of the Qin family since the early Qing Dynasty. Today, there are still more than 40 buildings and rooms preserved, including 5 relatively good courtyards (each with more than 3 buildings and rooms). Among these 5 courtyards, 3 have more than 7 buildings and rooms, and 2 have basically complete courtyards. They can be used as models and representatives, and they should be one of the courtyards located in the northeast corner of Youyoufangzhai (number: Courtyard No. 1).
This large courtyard faces south and has a brick and wood structure. It is divided into front and back sections, commonly known as the front living room and the back building courtyard. It consists of 7 main buildings forming a typical courtyard-style enclosed building complex with a construction area of more than 700 square meters. In 2006, it was announced as the fourth batch of key cultural relics protection units by the Henan Provincial People's Government.
Front yard: It consists of 4 one-story houses. Specifically, it includes the street-facing room (including the gatehouse), the left and right wing rooms, and the main room (living room). The width and height of the main house are obviously larger than other houses. The beams and columns of the house are made of thick and high-quality wood. The brackets under the front eaves are decorated with colorful paintings. The foundation stones of the eaves and corridors are unique and exquisite, with animal and other patterns carved on them. . There are multiple steps built with thick stone strips outside the platform. What's interesting is that except for the top one, all of these stone strips are broken in the middle. If no one told the inside story, it would be difficult for anyone to guess the reason.
It turns out that during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, a great martial artist named Chang Naizhou came out of Sishui County (now part of Xingyang). One day Chang Naizhou came here to visit his apprentice (the owner of the house, Qin Chengzong). Because everyone knew that he practiced martial arts, and heard that he had superb martial arts, they all wanted to see it. At first, no matter what everyone said, he just ignored them. Later, there were more people talking, and the pestering time became longer. He looked around the yard, and then slowly walked up the stone steps. Unexpectedly, as soon as he stepped onto the first step, he suddenly heard a "bang" sound. Everyone looked up and saw that the stone strips on the steps had broken into two pieces. People were shocked! Then there were several more sounds accompanying his footsteps. When people came to their senses, they found that several stone steps were also broken into two parts. When Chang Naizhou was about to move towards the last piece, many family members hurriedly shouted, "Save a piece!" "Save a piece!" Only then did Chang Naizhou stop, be merciful, and save the last piece.
Backyard: It consists of three three-story buildings and the living room in the front yard. The main building is about 13 meters high (much higher than the current four-story building). There is one door on the front ground floor and in the middle of the second floor, and there are three windows on the third floor. The door on the ground floor is exquisitely made. The door panel is covered with iron sheet and embedded with bubble nails. The stone couplet inlaid on the outside of the door reads: "Be prepared to endure hard work when starting a business, and be careful not to be arrogant and extravagant when maintaining success." The banner reads "Cunpu Hall" and is signed "Twenty-Fourth Year of Qianlong" next to it. The doors and windows on the second and third floor facades are decorated with exquisite patterns carved from blue bricks, which have high artistic value.
When you walk into the courtyard, you will see a deep courtyard and tall buildings. While people are amazed at the magnificence of the buildings, they can't help but wonder: Even now, it is not easy to build these high-rise buildings, which also requires a lot of manpower and financial resources. So how did the builders accumulate such huge financial resources in the first place? Who is he?
Legends of the descendants of the Qin family: The ancestors of the Qin family made a fortune because they opened many gold shops in Beijing and other places. After they became extremely rich, they bought fields and opened shops all over the country. Therefore, when their family members traveled to and from Beijing, they could not walk to other people's fields or stay in other people's shops.
According to the record inscribed on the stone plaque of the house that it was built in the 24th year of Qianlong (1759), and combined with the relevant contents of the "Qin Family Genealogy" compiled during the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty, we can know the purpose of building this courtyard at that time. They are the father and son of Qin Fangsu (a student of Imperial College, candidate of Tongzhi) and Qin Chengzong (tong of candidate state, Chang is one of the high disciples of Zhou Dynasty, and the book "Chang Family Boxing Origin Test" once recorded that his "family is extremely wealthy").
But whether the reason why they got rich is just like the legend, it is difficult to confirm because there is no clear material.