Tongzi House

‌Tongzi House‌, located in Anbing Village, Lianhua Town, Tong'an District, Xiamen City, is the former residence of Ye Dingguo, the modern "local emperor" of Tong'an, built in the early 1930s. This building not only reflects Ye Dingguo's unique aesthetic taste but also showcases the artistry and craftsmanship of architecture from that era.‌Tongzi House boasts a unique architectural style, with its layout inspired by the shape of the Chinese character "同" (tóng, meaning "same" or "together"). The entire building forms a complete "同" shape, consisting of a front hall, a central courtyard, a rear two-story building, and flanking side houses. It features red bricks, red tiles, white stone skirting, a double-curved golden saddle ridge, symmetrical left and right sides, and staggered front and rear halls.‌The "一" (yī, meaning "one") shaped pavilion in the central courtyard and the front hall together resemble the "口" (kǒu, meaning "mouth") radical within the character "同," creating a distinctive architectural style.‌Tongzi House is not just a residence; it also served a defensive purpose. Strategic points throughout the house are equipped with gun ports, making it a building that integrates living and defense.‌The rear two-story building is a two-story European-style structure with an outer corridor, nine bays wide and 6.6 meters deep, where the owner would enjoy tea, admire the moon, and relax in the cool air.‌Tongzi House is situated in a beautiful environment, backed by Lianhua Mountain and bordered by Daqi Mountain on the right, with the Lianhua Stream flowing gently from the southeast. Nestled between mountains and water, the scenery is exceptionally picturesque.‌This natural environment adds a touch of tranquility and harmony to Tongzi House. Today, Tongzi House has become a significant tourist attraction in Xiamen, drawing numerous visitors. Revitalization efforts are underway at Tongzi House, introducing intangible cultural heritage, folk customs, cultural activities, and leisure elements, exploring new models for the revitalization of ancient houses. These efforts aim to organically integrate the preservation of ancient house culture with community support needs, injecting new life and vitality into these historical structures.