Hello, I'm Qiu Ping. I am now in Wuxi, Jiangsu. This year we saw a lot of landlord courtyards in Shanxi. Courtyard of Shanxi merchants It's all over the floor, so to speak. Coming to the south, of course, you can also see some courtyards. But certainly not as much as Shanxi. Today we come to see this compound. Very special The building inside it is actually made of gold nanmu. We saw the Wang Family Courtyard and the Qiao Family Courtyard in Shanxi. So many courtyards The magnificence he built. I didn't see it made of gold nanmu. Because in feudal society Gold nanmu is exclusively used by the royal family. Without the emperor's permission. It is absolutely not allowed among the people. They even said that the princes and ministers used gold nanmu. With the permission of the emperor. Only with the emperor's consent. You use it without permission. Is guilty of transgressions. That's a big crime. And in a small mountain village like Wuxi, Jiangsu. Unexpectedly, there is a building compound made of gold nanmu. The identity of the owner must be extraordinary. Let's take a look today. What is the identity of the owner of this compound? What ability does he have to build with gold nanmu? The courtyard is just ahead at a glance. This location is very good. Look, there is a river right in front of the compound. There's a hill in the back. This is typical of being surrounded by mountains and rivers. The building of gold nanmu. I saw part of it before. A few months ago, I went to the tomb of Daoguang in the Western Tombs of the Qing Dynasty. How many halls are there? It's all made of gold nanmu. Daoguang is recorded as very frugal in Chinese history. But if we go to see his tomb, You can see that. Daoguang's frugality is just a surface. The mausoleum is all the mausoleums of the Qing Dynasty. The one who spent the most was more than Cixi. I can imagine Is Daoguang really thrifty or not? But we went to see his golden nanmu hall. It is indeed very exquisite. There are a lot of dragons carved inside. Be alive and well The building is still well preserved. You can go and have a look if you have a chance. Zhao Sitang National Key Protected Unit This is its gate. The gate here It is similar to the Shanxi merchants' compound we saw in Shanxi. It's a little different. In fact, this is also a brick gate tower. They usually come to the area of Suzhou, Jiangsu. We can see that its architecture is a little different. In fact, the buildings in every place Have the characteristics of each place. There are a few words here that are written in the family of Rang Li. Li is the centimeter of a centimeter. It has the meaning of governance norms. Therefore, the meaning of Rang Li Shi Jia is to be tolerant and modest. This is the family motto. His family name is Cao Cao. The overall production of the building is sitting north to south. There are three entries before and after. There is a lobby inside. There are also memorial archways and so on Among them, we just talked about this Zhao Sitang. It's the name of the lobby inside. It's just that his lobby is very special. He was built of gold nanmu. It's called Zhao Sitang And call the whole piece by this name. The owner of this compound is Cao Jie. An official in the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty Which means this compound It's almost 500 years old now. The floor area he has left now Up to 665 square meters It doesn't look big. But it was definitely much, much bigger than it is now. Go and have a look inside now. The gold nanmu building. He didn't open the gate. Probably went in through the side door. In fact, in the feudal society, Generally speaking, the gate of this kind of courtyard. It's also less open. Unless the owner himself is in and out. There is something higher than the identity of the owner. Come in. Take a look inside. This unique compound. Now it seems that the overall area is not large. We might just see a few halls of him. And the memorial archway Anyway, come to Suzhou They, these buildings It's really antique. Like a garden This may be the characteristic of the buildings in this area. It's totally different from what we saw in Shanxi before. What was commonly seen in Shanxi in the past? A house of brick construction And in the south It is generally seen that this kind of wooden building is in the majority. The first building I saw It's the front hall Five rooms wide A place where a host receives visitors and conducts business. So here The reception hall is not the most important thing. Because in the former landlord's compound. It is divided into many kinds. Because the hierarchy is more rigid. The front hall is usually used to receive ordinary guests. Or just a friend. And then inside and in the lobby. That is the same as the reception status. Or one level above him. This area has been repaired. There's a plaque on it. Nan Yu Shenghui Something like this vestibule must have been restored. Behind the front hall is the hall. Go and have a look. Past the vestibule The building was immediately different. That's what we're going to focus on today. A house of gold nanmu In other places, it can be called the Golden Nanmu Hall. This place, it looks really different. We look like three rooms wide like this. In fact, the whole house is five rooms wide. It uses what we often call bright three and dark five. Because in feudal society 5 and 9 generally cannot be used. It represents the emperor We often look at those tombs. Five rooms wide or That's the reason for the nine rooms with a wide face. This is a point. And let's see what this house looks like. It's really different. He is high in the middle and low on both sides. It's a bit like the official hat of the Ming Dynasty. Is it very vivid? That's true He is the master An official of the Ming Dynasty. He passed the Jinshi examination. It is said to be the father-in-law of Emperor Jiajing. Emperor Jiajing had a concubine. It's the master's daughter. The building looks like it's all made of wood. He's all over this building. They are all made of gold nanmu. More than 500 years and still intact. Very rare We saw the Golden Nanmu Hall. The building of Nanmu is now. The Imperial Palace should be the earliest one that is relatively complete. And Zhu Di's Changling Tomb. There are very few like more than 500 years. We are in Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan. I saw some gold nanmu houses in Hubei. That may belong to the Qing Dynasty. In particular, there is an old Nanmu house in Enshi, Hubei. Worth 800 million So this house. I look just from the outside. Than the Nanmu house in Enshi, Hubei. More spectacular and bigger. It's also older. Is it worth more? When I went to see the inside of this house. Let's take a look at his yard first. Look, these are all strip-shaped stones. The stone here It's a little different from what we usually see. Even though it looks like there's a crack here. Then I'm sure. This place used to be absolutely complete. It's not broken. Think of such a huge stone. How difficult it is to transport it in its entirety. You can figure it out from here. At that time, their family was relatively strong. The Cao family is strong. Now go inside this and have a look. Just from the outside. It's all very old. This building must be a mortise and tenon structure. No nails Because if you built a house before. All tenon and mortise structures The wood like this door is also a witness of history. I wonder if his door is the original one. It was repaired later. But when you come inside, you obviously feel different. The buildings ahead It must look relatively new to everyone. I think it should be repaired and maintained. But look at these beams up here. Including this pillar Obviously, you can see that it has a sense of age. Especially these girders. It should be called rafter. I'm not very good at these ancient buildings. Not much research Do you want such a big gold nanmu? It must have been more than 1,000 years. The pillars below are almost a thousand years old. What is the key? He's on these pillars. It's obvious that it's different. Is it a polished mark? Let's take a look over here. These used to be gilded and painted. There may be some gilding on it. Or gold on it. This is very remarkable. All of these are there. Because it's obvious that it's different. This is really very precious. You see, over 500 years, These pillars feel It's like it's been here for about ten years. It's new, and the wood color of that tree You can still see very clearly. Like these pillars behind me. All of them are made of gold nanmu. Look, it should be at least a thousand years old. Because Nanmu grows very slowly. There is such a saying. It takes 300 years to become useful. 500 to 800 years to use The talent of a thousand years is officially used in large quantities. On that building Why is gold nanmu so precious? Will be exclusive to the royal family. Because the gold nanmu is made of hard material. It's not rotten for a thousand years For example, wood like this. Outside in the sun and rain Or buried under that. It will not decay for a thousand years We saw some hanging coffins in Chongqing. It's made of gold nanmu. It's on that cliff. Still intact for over 2,000 years. Then it includes that we go to other places to see some tombs. Those are not rotten after a long time. This is a point and another point is. An ant cannot nest The ants can't get through the other piece of wood. Ants can easily get rid of it. This is the golden nanmu. Like this beam Let me guess. At least. 1,000 to 1,200 years of history It's really beautiful up here. I don't know how much gold was pasted at that time. So let's talk about it. He is the master Why can it be in the folk? Build a house of gold nanmu The owner of this house is Cao Jie. His daughter was then a concubine of Emperor Jiajing. In the 21st year of the reign of Emperor Jiajing A very famous event took place. It is unique in Chinese history. At that time, there were more than a dozen court maids. Think together Kill Emperor Jiajing. Finally, he was saved by the queen. The empress saved Emperor Jiajing. Put these ladies to death. Including a concubine at that time. Because at that time, Emperor Jiajing It is said to rest in the palace of the concubine. Then put him to death together. To the back Emperor Jiajing learned that the concubine was wronged. She was rehabilitated. Then as the father-in-law, Emperor Jiajing will certainly give him some compensation. To the last Cao Jie. When I go home to retire. Emperor Jiajing allowed him. He even said he was ordered to build such a house. This Cao Jie will be built after he returns to his hometown. Built a house like this. This material is all allowed by Emperor Jiajing. Even said that these golden nanmu It was granted to him by Emperor Jiajing. The name of the house built by Cao Jie at that time It's called Xiangnan Hall Homophonic is miss your daughter. Then came the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty. Changed this place into a ancestral hall. It's called Zhao Sitang Which is to say The building was originally built in memory of my daughter. We saw many pillar stones in Shanxi. Those are higher. Do you see if it's different here? This pillar stone is like a basin. Inverted basin This is a typical feature of the Ming Dynasty. The pillar is very interesting to put on this. This kind of building is also relatively rare now. We just said that the house is bright and dark. So where is the dark two? Right here in the corner. One over here One over there, three in the middle. Did you find out? Is this a convex shape? This building is very interesting. It's rare Finished looking inside the hall. Let's take a look in the back. These are all gold nanmu. Like this one, it's relatively small. About 800 years, I guess. Found a room over here. One of the two dark rooms we just talked about. At first I thought it was the servant who lived there. Or put something in it. I didn't think this was the master room. The daily home of the owner and his family It is divided into the living room and the bedroom. Then the owner may have been resting here. This is the inside of the house we just saw. In that hall, this pillar is obvious. It's bigger than what we just saw on the side. Here's another room. See what the study is for. The ancients attached great importance to the construction of study. Pay attention to the elegance and chic of the study Create a strong cultural atmosphere You can read books, recite poems and paint pictures. This master, Cao Jie He is a Jinshi. It is equivalent to passing the imperial examination. Then his cultural and literary literacy is quite high. Especially when we look at the ancient imperial examinations. The answer sheet left behind The handwriting on it is very neat. No alteration, because at that time. Altered or the handwriting is not good. Basically, it will be brushed off by the examiner first. Like these words. Especially when we look at the answers of some top scholars. His handwriting is basically like this. It looks like a print. There is such a saying in feudal society. Seeing words is like seeing people. If your handwriting is not good. Like those people will judge you. So if your handwriting is good, The first impression is quite good. Now come to the back of this hall. You can see There are some traces left by the stone archway. And two lions. That's what's so strange about this hall. We often say that the house faces south. The gate opens to the south. And here Its gate actually opens to the north. That's his back door we just came in over there. Is this very strange? This one is extremely rare. Why is this happening? We were just talking about his building. It was given to him by the emperor. His daughter died in Beijing again. So he opened the gate to the north. Towards the emperor, towards the Forbidden City. It is equivalent to his thanking and worshipping the emperor. This is a kind of And that means his daughter. It was in Beijing. He wanted to call back the spirit. There is such a saying in feudal society. If the gate opens to the north, His daughter can go all the way south. That's what it says. There are two lions ahead. This lion is facing south. That's normal. But now he is looking back. Because it faces north again. This is what we just said. Actually, it's almost the same. Why is there a memorial archway here? It is said that this memorial archway was probably built in the Qing Dynasty. Because of this building In the Ming Dynasty. Or the compound that belongs to their family? Used for living. During the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, it was converted into an ancestral temple. That is to say, if there is an ancestral temple. Then naturally there should be a memorial archway. That's how it came about. From Jiajing in Ming Dynasty to Qianlong in Qing Dynasty This family has been passed down for a long time. Almost 300 years This is also a big family in feudal society. The whole compound is not too big. We're almost done here. So do you think this kind of building How much is the gold nanmu worth? It is now a national key cultural relic protection unit. It's priceless. Anyway, I saw it in Enshi, Hubei. It is said to be worth 800 million. Then it must be possible here.
