How the Zhu clan became one of the richest and most powerful families in all Yunnan from their business base in Jianshui
Wandering through the 214 rooms and 42 courtyards of what was once southern Yunnan’s largest private residence, located in Jianshui county, Honghe prefecture, one is reminded that there was a time when visitors and businesspeople did not only flock to Kunming, Lijiang, and Dali to seek thrills or fortunes in China’s southwest.
The vast mansion is known as the Zhujia Huayuan (朱家花园), the “Zhu Family Garden,” or “Grand View Garden of Southern Yunnan” after mansion in the classic Qing dynasty (1616 – 1911) novel Dream of the Red Chamber. It is a testament to Jianshui’s former glories, and the wealth that trade and business here generated for one family in particular.
The extravagant house and grounds, completed in 1910 after more than three decades of construction, are full of splendid courtyards, colorful orchards, and magnificent gardens containing all manner of exotic flora. It is easy to understand why many connect the lavish residence to scenes from the novel. The style of the residence is a combination of the flowing gardens of Suzhou in southeastern China and the romantic courtyards of Shanxi in the northwest. The vast complex is a monument to the riches amassed by a clan who became some of most influential traders in southwestern China during the late Qing dynasty.
Anson Zong-Liscum is the digital content manager at The World of Chinese. Originally from Colorado, he now lives in Yunnan where he often goes up the mountains to explore the province’s unique outdoors, enjoys testing out distinct ethnic dishes, and sipping on local Pu’er tea or coffee while updating the TWOC iPhone app.
