A look at the Mandarin’s House

What makes the Mandarin’s House so special? Firstly, it was listed as world heritage by Unesco and secondly, it is rare to find a private resident of its scale in Macau. Thirdly, it is the ancestral home of the famous Zheng Guanying and was designed in various architectural styles. But reasons are not enough.
The Macau Daily Times introduces some of the small details that tell of something else, more than the well known story of who lived there. Welcome aboard a trip that takes you through some Chinese culture and its meaning.
The Mandarin’s House is located in Barra area, at the Travessa de Antonio da Silva. The residence is closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Earth God

On your right side as you enter the house complex, you will find the shrine of the Earth God –  a common feature in Macau buildings. This one was built in a very simple style.

Moon Gate

Before entering the main courtyard, you will pass though two gates. The first gate is known as the “Moon Gate”. It was removed before the 1950’s, but traces left on the brick wall confirming its existence were discovered during the restoration.

Front Courtyard

Located at the main building of the Mandarin’s House. The building is composed of two traditional mansions of Guandgong: Yuqing and Jishan.

Inner Courtyard

The Inner Courtyard’s ground floor has Chinese-style moon gates and gourd-shaped window openings, which symbolises good luck. The plinths of the columns are of western style.

Doors and Hangings

There is almost no furniture inside the two main building’s traditional mansions. However, the rooms are a lot of movable wooden doors that could be removed flexibly according to needs. These doors and hangings were once gilded, showing the financial status of the Zheng family at that time.