The eternal beauty

The cultural heritage of the Chinese nation has been passed down for five thousand years, uninterrupted, originating from our ancestors' harmonious concept of home. The construction, management, and aesthetic appreciation of the home by our forebears resonate deeply with me. The Yangliuqing Ancient Town's An Family Courtyard in Tianjin offers a life that is half mundane daily existence and half poetic and picturesque enjoyment. My aesthetic appreciation falls on the courtyard of our predecessors—the An Family Courtyard in Yangliuqing. Although more than 150 years have passed, its soft furnishings remain stylish and elegant. Despite the changes of time, it shines even brighter, displaying the noble elegance ingrained in its essence and exuding the atmosphere of historical culture. You can't help but exclaim that the aesthetic and spiritual life of our ancestors far surpasses ours. 'Restrain oneself and return to ritual, cultivate personal character and put one's family in order,' engraved on the walls of the courtyard, is the soul and spiritual heritage of this place. True nobility is the great wealth of the spirit. In the ancient town of Yangliuqing in Tianjin, there is a street known as a gathering place for the wealthy, called 'Guiyi Street.' To the south of the street is the Shi Family Courtyard, the largest civilian residence in North China, and to the north, just across the street, is the even older An Family Courtyard. The An Family Courtyard has coexisted with history for 150 springs and autumns, witnessing the prosperity and bustle of the ancient town, recording the traces and styles of the years. Now, An Wenzhong has been deceased for many years, and the 150-year-old courtyard of the An family, with his story, has been left to us. Everywhere in the An Family Courtyard are historical marks. Despite the changes of the times and the vicissitudes of weather, the old green bricks, lattice windows, and doors still reveal the splendor of the architecture of the past. The sturdy beams and smooth purlins that were preserved when the An Family Courtyard was built still firmly support the heavy history. The vigorous wisteria in the courtyard, over a hundred years old, silently tells the spring and autumn of the residence. This place, where wealthy families of old hid their treasures of gold and silver, is now the only complete gold and silver vault remaining in modern Tianjin, especially its cellar-style construction, the arched top of green bricks, and even the niche-style lampstands and ventilation holes, are all astonishing to modern people. Perhaps it is this ancient town and ancient house, this ancient style and charm, that possess the taste of ancient culture and the value of ancient history. However, it is not possible to visit directly now. The bricks and tiles of the courtyard are full of poetic and picturesque charm, waiting for you to listen to its story. Ticket price: Adult 20, Visiting hours: 9:00～17:00