Yin Yu Tang

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In the late Qing dynasty, around 1800, a prosperous merchant named Huang built a house for his family in a remote village southwest of Shanghai, naming it Yin Yu Tang, or Hall of Abundant Shelter, to signify his hope for it to protect his descendants. For seven generations, the Huang family lived, celebrated, and mourned within its walls. By the mid-1990s, the family had relocated to cities for work, and in 2003, the house was moved to the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts, as a permanent exhibit. This book provides a room-by-room, generation-by-generation exploration of life in the house, offering an invaluable introduction to traditional Chinese family and village life. Nancy Berliner, a leading expert on Chinese furniture and arts, guides readers through this unique homestead, detailing Chinese architecture, construction methods, decoration, furniture, and family heirlooms. She narrates the domestic life of the family, emphasizing their love and respect for relatives and ancestors. The book also chronicles the remarkable restoration of Yin Yu Tang, a treasure trove of Chinese history, featuring hundreds of photographs, primary documents, and captivating details that vividly portray everyday life in traditional China.