Hu's residences are divided into north and south roads, facing each other across the street. They are also called South and North Houses, and the locals call them "North and South Houses".

Nanzhaizi was the residence of Hu Laijin, the deputy envoy of Shanxi Anchasi in the Ming Dynasty, and was built during the Wanli period of Ming Dynasty; Beizhaizi was the private residence of Hu Laijin's son Hu Xin.

Hu's residence is "the only group of ancient residential buildings with typical Ming Dynasty architectural style in Gansu Province and a rare group in the country."

From an old news, I learned that in the alleys such as Yusheng Lane, Sanxing Lane, Chengyuan Lane, and Feijian Lane in Tianshui City, many ancient dwellings from the Ming and Qing Dynasties have been preserved, which makes people excited.

Recently, accompanied by local friend Huang Wuping, a photography enthusiast, we went to Minzhu Road in Qincheng District to visit the famous national key cultural relics protection unit - Hu's House.

Hu's residence consists of two ancient building complexes, Nanzhaizi and Beizhaizi, facing each other across the street.

The towering and upright archways, simple and elegant roof tiles, and exquisite and complicated wood carvings all show that it is a typical Ming and Qing architecture.

Hu's residence is located in the north and south of the road, facing each other across the street, so it has a more popular name "North and South House".

Nanzhaizi was the residence of Hu Laijin, the deputy envoy of Shanxi Anchasi in the Ming Dynasty, and Beizhaizi was the private residence of his son Hu Xin.

"Residences are buildings without architects, but they are also the most humane buildings." It is precisely because the Hu family and his son were both famous officials in the Ming Dynasty and were praised by the people as "father and son in the countryside" that their former residence can

preserved over a long period of time.

In these quiet courtyards, their feelings and integrity seem to still set the example for future generations in every detail, which is worthy of careful consideration by every visitor.

Let’s talk about Hu Laijin first. He was once the magistrate of Daxing County.

The magistrates of local counties are usually in the seventh grade, but the magistrates in Daxing and Wanping are one grade higher than those in other places, and are in the sixth grade.

As parent officials, the magistrates of the two counties have quite complex powers and responsibilities, including settling cases, collecting taxes, selecting officials, educating, and offering sacrifices. They cannot relax in any of them.

In addition, although the official rank is one level higher, the risk of being an official is also high.

During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, most of the emperor's relatives, important ministers and officials had properties in Daxing and Wanping. If the county magistrate did not take good care of them, it would be a trivial matter to lose his official position, and there was no guarantee that he would lose his head.

There was a proverb at the time that said, "Being a magistrate in Wanping City is a kneeling job." It is estimated that the situation of the magistrate of Daxing is not far from this.

Hu Laijin clearly understands the difficulties of taking on this job, but he believes that justice is in the heart of the people, and gains and losses cannot be calculated at the moment.

Hu Laijin has been in office for three years. He does not show favoritism and enforces the law impartially. Even the powerful are a little afraid of him.

Those officials were not only impressed, but also praised and recommended him, and he was promoted to a doctor in the Ministry of Household Affairs.

When you are in office, you should get rid of old disadvantages, and your subordinates will not dare to deceive you.

Later, he was promoted to deputy envoy of the Shanxi Provincial Department, and Yanmen soldiers prepared the road. He died in his post.

Local writer Xue Linrong once said that one of the secrets of searching for ancient residences in the streets and alleys of Tianshui is: "There must be old homes behind the high walls of the lanes, and those with uneven tiles must be deep houses." In fact, there is another secret,

Look at the old trees.

In front of the gatehouse of Nanzhaizi, we saw an ancient locust tree on the east side that is said to be more than 700 years old.

Its two dead tree trunks look like dragons and snakes in the air, while the other two side trunks are densely covered with thin branches. In a few days, new green will appear all over again.

After that, we saw a hanging plaque in the hall of Nanzhaizi saying "the locust tree shades the tree", and we learned that the owner of the old house was quite proud of and valued the old locust tree.

Like other courtyards, the gate of South House is in the northeast corner.

There are three words "Vice-Xiandi" on the gate, which Hu Laijin asked Li Guoshi, who was "inspecting Longyou Daoyou Gongzheng" at that time, to inscribe it.

On Hu's hanging flower door, there are two characters "Guifu" written by Emperor Kangxi (1669). The brushwork is revealing and hiding first, showing an imperial style; the realm is open-minded and vast, conveying the meaning beyond the characters.

The scholar-bureaucrats advocated nobility and admiration for nature, either building residences in the city or running gardens in the countryside. Naturally, the Hu family and his son were well versed in this.

The front yard is also a quadrangle. The layout of the yard is ingenious, absorbing the style of southern garden architecture. The five-color pebbles form different patterns such as the sun, Bagua, and Nine Palaces. The flowers and rockeries in the yard form a natural scenery, which is combined with the overhanging bucket openings, exquisite sparrows, and partitions.

The straight lattice and ridge decorated with dragons complement each other.

The space communicates everywhere, the scenery intersperses with each other, the rich layers, and the diverse canvases give people a feeling of being as happy as mountains, rivers, forests and springs.

In particular, the wishful cloud heads on the pillars are not colored, but are carved with round and smooth shades to create the layers of clouds. It is a kind of scenery in a cloud painting, which vividly embodies the strong literati spirit.

Whether it is the open-carved Chilong on the sparrow or the open-carved flowers and plants on the forehead of the railing, the brush strokes are interdependent, the objects are in need of each other, and the brush strokes are in harmony with Zen principles, forming a natural beauty.

The courtyard has 13 large and small buildings and 38 rooms, and its appearance has not changed after four hundred years of vicissitudes.

The backyard has a south study room, a north living room, an east Buddhist hall, and a west corridor. There are scenes and paintings everywhere. Together with the carvings of musical instruments, chess, calligraphy, and paintings on the house railings, bird stands, and headdresses, they form the poetic interest and the realm of painting.

, although it is not as grand as the front yard, it has more elegance.

Compared with Nanzhaizi, the preserved scale of Beizhaizi is larger.

The North House is nearly square in plan. It originally had three main courtyards and five large and small courtyards on the sides. Now only the front and rear main courtyards, middle courtyards, and wing rooms of the second and third courtyards remain.

Hu Xin is recognized as the most accomplished historical figure in the Hu family. His official reputation is as good as that of his father.