House of The Huangcheng Chancellor

The “House of the Huangcheng Chancellor” was the official mansion of the famous Qing dynasty official Chen Tingjing, who was the chief editor of the Kangxi Dictionary (the standard Chinese dictionary of the 18th and 19th centuries) and tutor of Emperor Kangxi. The entire architectural complex is divided into an “inner city” and “outer city,” and the architectural style is similar to that of the Qiao Family Compound or Wang Family Compound in Shanxi; all are classic examples of the northern courtyard architecture of the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1912). However, it is different in that as many as 38 members of the Chen clan who resided here were government officials. The complex also has a plaque inscribed and bestowed by the Kangxi Emperor himself, in honor of the complex and its owner.