Shen’s House Jiangsu

Near Fu’an Bridge, this residence of the Shen clan is a lavish piece of Qing-style architecture boasting three halls and more than 100 rooms. The first section (in front of the ticketed area) is particularly interesting, as it has a water gate and a wharf where the family moored their private boats. You can picture the compound entirely daubed in Maoist graffiti c 1969 (note the crudely smashed carvings above the doors). Most tour groups skip the 2nd floor, possibly because of the steep staircase, but rooms up here are furnished and you can get a bird's-eye view of the hall.