Shandong Zoucheng Mengzi Mansion (Mencius Mansion), China

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Mengzi Mansion

The Mengzi Mansion (Mencius Mansion) is also called "Yasheng Mansion". Located in Zoucheng, Shandong Province, it is the living place of Mengzi's close descendants.

Called "Ya Sheng", Mengzi (Mencius) is a thicker and educationist only next to Confucius. The Mengzi Mansion is located in south pass of Zoucheng, only one street away from the Mengzi Temple.

The mansion system is similar to the Confucius' Mansion, while the scope is not identical. There are 7 front and back courtyards, over 100 buildings altogether.

On the black painted gate there drew two gate gods, on the lintel hung a straight horizontal inscribed board written "Yasheng Mansion" on it. Entering the second gate, you will see the central hall. Originally here was the place that Mengzi's descendants entertained officials and resolved public affairs.

The hall is high and spacious with tables for resolving public affairs inside, on east and west sides' imperial carriage there are various imperial plates such as "solemn silence" and "Avoiding".

On the east and west two rooms of the hall are the living places for the mechanism and people managing the Mengzi Mansion. On the left and right there set up the Drum Building specially, it is the place playing music when offering sacrifices to gods.

The back half of the Mengzi Mansion is inner house. Entering the inner house, you can see the upper courtyard. It is the living place for Mengzi's descendants and it is a typical Chinese compound construction.

Behind the upper courtyard, it is the Cishu Building and it is the building for placing archives and books bestowed by emperor. Trimmed properly, such beautiful garden is a good place for resting and strolling.

In the Mengzi Mansion there still preserved the court dress, emperor grants, emperor's cloak, imperial edict bestowed by emperors and pearls, jewels, antique, ancient books, calligraphies, paintings, archives of clan and so on collected by family are all aged and precious. They provide valuable materials to know about politics, economy, local history and life model of traditional family in Chinese feudal society.