Li's Western-Style Mansion in Zhongtian Village, Zixing, Hunan

Built during the Republic of China era, the Zhongtian Li's Western-Style Mansion was constructed by its owner who reportedly studied abroad before returning to make a fortune from coal mining in Zhongtian Village. To showcase his success, he decided to build this European-style mansion, which uniquely blends Chinese and Western architectural elements, reflecting the owner's distinctive aesthetic. The T-shaped structure features a narrow horizontal layout and a shorter vertical section, with two stories of brick-and-wood construction under a gable roof, covering approximately 300 square meters. Its facades are adorned with square-arched or pointed-arch stained glass windows, said to be entirely imported at the time. The second floor bears a red sandstone plaque inscribed with the seal-script phrase "Blessed by Heaven," flanked by carved stone floral borders and four-character couplets on either side. Combining Chinese and Western styles with peculiar forms and exquisite materials, the mansion holds significant architectural and artistic reference value.