Ze Si Ju Residence

Ze Si Ju Residence, constructed in the early Qing Dynasty, was restored in 2002. It is also known as the ‘Premier’s Mansion’ due to the original owner’s high-ranking official position.

Upon approaching Ze Si Ju, one can observe the eaves extending in all directions and the towering horse-head walls, giving the entire structure an imposing grandeur. Inside the courtyard, the halls are spacious and the corridor pillars are upright. The complexity of the carvings is a distinctive feature of this residence. Every beam is adorned with exquisite carvings, earning it the title of ‘The Number One Carved Building in Jiangnan’.

---

Upon entering, one can see the典故 of ‘Four Immortals Welcoming Guests’ carved on the main beam, reflecting the host’s hospitality. On the eastern beam of the main hall, five cranes are carved, indicating that the original owner was a civil official rather than a military one, and also representing his aspiration of ‘Five Peaks Facing the Heavens’. The ‘Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix’ on the western beam suggests that this was not an ordinary official’s home, as such patterns were not freely carved by commoners.

---

Opening hours are subject to the actual operating status on the day.

---