Attractions and introduction to Zeng Guofan’s former residence

Fuhoutang, the former residence of Zeng Guofan, also known as Yiyong Houdi, is the residence of Zeng Guofan. It is located in Futuo Village, Heye Town, east of Shuangfeng County, Loudi City, Hunan. It is adjacent to Xiangxiang City, Xiangtan County, Hengshan County and Hengyang County. It covers a total area of ??more than 40,000 square meters and the main building is nearly 10,000 square meters. It is a typical Ming and Qing dynasty cloister-style building group that is symmetrical along the central axis.

It was founded in the fourth year of Tongzhi in the Qing Dynasty (1865 AD). Zeng Guofan was successively promoted to the governor of Liangjiang and the governor of Zhili. He was appointed as the crown prince and Taibao, and was awarded the title of "First-class Yiyonghou" and the title of "Wuyingdian University". Scholar", he was promoted to "Guanglu Doctor", and his posthumous title was "Zeng Wenzhenggong". In the autumn of the fourth year of Tongzhi (1865), Zeng Guofan, who had never planned to be a lifelong official, planned to mobilize his family members to return home to "establish a career" before retiring.

Because his wife, Ouyang, "had never felt safe about people drowning in the pond in front of the gate of Huangjintang, her former residence", she ordered her son Zeng Jize to "return to Hunan to report to his two uncles, Shang". The transfer of the Futuo Mansion was presided over by Zeng Guohuang, Zeng Guoquan and Zeng Jize. According to the scale of the Houfu, it took ten years to build a rich hall.

Introduction to the former residence

Fuhoutang covers an area of ??more than 40,000 square meters, with a construction area of ??9202.86 square meters. It is an earth, stone, brick and wood structure, cloister style, with eight main halls inside and outside. Qiuque Zhai, Jiupuzhai, Yifang Pavilion and Siyun Pavilion. Various buildings such as Babaotai, Jiyuan, Fuzaoxuan, Chess Pavilion, and Library had a gold plaque with "Yiyong Hou Di" written on the ground hanging on the main entrance.

On the granite platform in front of the door, there are dragon and phoenix flags of the Qing Dynasty, Hunan Army commander flags, thousands of umbrellas, etc. flying, which is quite a spectacular sight. Although the whole building is on the scale of a prince's palace, it is simple and elegant. Although it has carved beams and painted buildings, it is not magnificent. It basically embodies Zeng Guofan's intention to build a house that "the house should not be gorgeous, but it should have a variety of bamboos and cypresses, and a vegetable garden, even if it takes up four acres, there is no problem."

Reference for the above content: Baidu Encyclopedia - Former Residence of Zeng Guofan