Wu Scholar's House

The Wu Scholar's House, located in the Shangku settlement of Shangqi Village, is the largest ancient house by architectural area on Lieyu Island. It was built in the 20th year of the Daoguang reign of the Qing Dynasty (1840) by Wu Jingshan, who made his fortune operating shipping and salt farms in Shangku. Its layout is a grand three-courtyard compound featuring two main halls and double protective side wings. After Wu Yushan, the fifth-generation descendant of the Wu family, passed the imperial examination and became a Xiucai (scholar) in the late Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty, a study and a schoolhouse were established in the front courtyard of the ancient house. They offered free education to the children of the local community, an act that earned them great respect and affection from the neighbors. Consequently, the people of Lieyu Township all referred to the Wu family's grand house as the 'Xiucai House' (Scholar's House), and this honorable name has been used ever since and continues to this day.