The century-old Jiangxi Sima Mansion hidden in Zhejiang: A thousand-mile journey
Many have visited Longyuan Inn in Longquan, but few know this👇
This stunning red-walled ancient mansion's entire wooden structure actually comes from Leping, Jiangxi!
It was the "Wang Family Sima Mansion," home to a prominent family in Yongshan, Leping, during the Daoguang to Tongzhi reigns of the Qing Dynasty🏛️
It is not a local Zhejiang structure; it is a century-old official residence of the Wang family that was moved thousands of miles from Jiangxi and reborn in a new location✨
📍Original site: Wang Family Old Street, Yongshan, Leping, Jiangxi
Built during the Daoguang reign of the Qing Dynasty, it belonged to the prominent Taiyuan Wang family of Yongshan in northeastern Jiangxi.
This ancient mansion bears witness to the golden age of three generations of the Wang family:
Wang Yishan (father) → Wang Xieshu (son) → Wang Zairen (grandson)
During the Daoguang reign, the father, Wang Yishan, was known for his benevolence.
He provided disaster relief, opened granaries to help the hungry, and funded bridges and schools for years.
Due to his family's generations of charitable acts, the imperial court honored them by erecting a "Benevolent and Charitable" stone archway.
From then on, the Wang family became renowned throughout Raozhou Prefecture🔥
During the chaotic Tongzhi reign, the second son, Wang Xieshu, became the head of the family.
He organized provisions, recruited local militia, and exhausted his family fortune to support Zuo Zongtang in suppressing rebellions.
Because of his outstanding contributions, he earned the deep respect of Zuo Zongtang, who personally inscribed the golden plaque "Sima Di" (Sima Mansion) as a gift to the Wang family.
Both father and son were recommended by the imperial court and granted the official rank of Zhou Tong.
The Wang family quickly rose to become a prestigious household, famous as both officials and merchants💫
The entire Sima Mansion was built with exquisite materials, constructed entirely from precious ginkgo wood.
It features three courtyards, three light wells, and halls filled with intricate wood carvings.
The beams, corbels, lattice windows, and caisson ceilings are all original carvings from the Daoguang and Tongzhi periods🪵
At its peak, Wang Family Street in Yongshan was incredibly prosperous.
The Sima Mansion, the Zhoupan Mansion, and the Daifu Mansion stood side by side, complete with banks, pawnshops, schools, and an ancient stage.
It was a truly prestigious and wealthy family in northeastern Jiangxi🏮
Wang Xieshu's son, Wang Zairen, was later granted the position of Zhoupan.
Across three generations, the family's scholarly and official legacy was passed down.
As time passed, the family gradually faded after the end of the Qing Dynasty, and the old mansion fell into disrepair.
In 2005, this well-preserved ancient Wang family mansion from the Daoguang and Tongzhi periods was numbered piece by piece, carefully dismantled, and transported by truck.
It traveled thousands of miles, moving from Leping, Jiangxi, to settle in Longquan, Zhejiang🚛
Today, what we see at Longyuan Inn:
✅All the ancient wooden frames, carved windows, beams, and caisson ceilings are the original, century-old components from the Wang family's Sima Mansion in Jiangxi.
The red walls and courtyard gates were rebuilt during later renovations.
One house holds the elegance of two dynasties, continuing the ancient charm across Jiangxi and Zhejiang🌿
What is most moving is that although the house was moved, the roots of the Wang family remain forever in Jiangxi.
Most of the descendants of Wang Xieshu's main line still live in their ancestral home in Yongshan, Leping, Jiangxi.
For a thousand years, the lineage has continued, with generations upholding the Wang family name.
Other family members are scattered across northeastern Jiangxi and the Yangtze River Delta, generations adhering to the Wang family's tradition of farming, studying, and kindness💕
One ancient mansion, spanning two provinces, Jiangxi and Zhejiang, has witnessed the rise and fall of a family over a century.
The old wood endures, and the ancient charm remains.
This is the most healing and moving destiny of ancient architecture🌿
A gentle knock on the door knocker, the wooden chairs waiting quietly—it feels as if you can still hear the sounds of reading and the whispers of dawn and dusk from a century ago📖