Official Residence Tour: Explore Mashi Manor — Anyang’s Qing-Era Estate
Push open the heavy wooden door and you step into a yellowed thread-bound book—every green brick at Mashi Manor (Ma Family Manor) whispers of late Qing court life. This 20,000-square-meter Qing dynasty official residence, with over 150 rooms, earns its reputation as the “Central Plains’ premier official mansion.” More than an architectural museum, it is a three-dimensional family chronicle of the Ma clan’s rise and fall. Stroll the bluestone central axis and you will see the rigorous layout of a Beijing siheyuan, the fine carving of Shanxi merchant courtyards, and the plain, warm character of Central Plains homes—an embodied vision of late-Qing gentry ideals of self-cultivation and family order.
1. A Government Mansion, Half a Qing History: Decoding Mashi Manor’s Architecture
The residence of Ma Piyao, Viceroy of Liangguang during the Guangxu era, is the most intact Qing official compound surviving in the Central Plains. The north, middle and south courtyards align with the classical concept of “heaven, earth, and humanity.” The northern clan ancestral hall asserts family authority; the symmetrical halls on the central axis stage ritual and ceremony; the delicate southern garden hides literati refinements. Don’t miss the Ma ancestral hall: twelve columns of golden nanmu (Phoebe zhennan) support a hall where the Guangxu Emperor’s bestowed plaque reading “Fu Shou” (Blessing and Longevity) still hangs. Brick carvings bearing the family precept “Qing Shen Qin” (be cautious, diligent, and sincere) reflect Ma Piyao’s reputation as an upright late-Qing official. Look closely at the “Five Bats Holding Longevity” brick reliefs above door lintels and the plum-orchid-bamboo-chrysanthemum woodcuts on lattice windows—every detail reflects craftsmen’s auspicious intentions.
2. A Century of Integrity: The Ma Family Story
Ma Piyao’s life brings humanity to the buildings. Born into poverty, he became a viceroy and was beloved by people—famously offering “a single bowl a day” relief during Shanxi famine relief that earned widespread gratitude. His daughter Ma Qingxia was among China’s first modern women educators. On the second floor of the Wenchang Pavilion visitors can see preserved imperial exam papers and family correspondence; the yellowing pages trace how this clan prized study and culture. The Ma family produced four jinshi (advanced degree holders) and nine juren (provincial graduates), a Qing-era “scholar dynasty.” Guides point out the west wing kang (heated brick bed) and recount how Ma Piyao insisted on sharing the same warmth with servants in winter—“If the people are not warm, how can an official warm himself first?”
3. Immersive Visit Guide: How to Experience the Official Mansion
Best time to visit: April–May when crabapple and wisteria bloom, or September when osmanthus perfumes the air. For the most scenic view, climb the viewing pavilion to see layered rooflines and courtyards. Allow about three hours and follow this sequence: central axis main halls—west courtyard—east garden. Start in the north gate to feel the ceremonial “civil officials alighting, military officials dismount” atmosphere; move to the central reception halls where an Eight-Immortals table scene is staged; finish at the south garden’s Taihu stone grotto for the most photographed spot.
Daily at 10:00 and 14:30 the site stages Ma Mansion Chronicles, a bilingual (Chinese-English) living-history performance. Actors in Qing dress, led by a “butler,” invite visitors to participate in a recreated banquet preparation—an engaging way to learn etiquette, cuisine, and family ritual.
4. Practical Information: How to Touch History the Right Way
From Anyang East Railway Station, a taxi takes about 30 minutes (roughly RMB 25), or take bus No. 12 to “Mashi Manor” stop. Tickets are RMB 60 and include an audio guide available in English, Japanese, and Korean. The first 100 visitors every Monday can try a free rubbing activity to copy the family precept carving. Don’t miss the Ma Family Banquet restaurant at the exit—order Qing-style “Integrity Tofu” and the official’s braised cake, recreated from Qing menus. For a deeper stay, book the Ming-Qing Guesthouse beside the compound; at dusk you can enjoy the quiet courtyard as the sun gilds the roof tiles.
When modern noise encroaches on traditional memory, Mashi Manor stubbornly preserves an era that cherished poetry and propriety. It is a must for architecture lovers, history buffs, and anyone seeking a tangible experience of Chinese cultural continuity. Run your hand along the tethering stone before the ancestral hall: the worn groove still holds the warmth of horses’ hooves from a century past, bridging living visitors with a venerable past.
