{"id":658,"date":"2026-08-26T03:50:38","date_gmt":"2026-08-26T03:50:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ynatcn.com\/?page_id=658"},"modified":"2026-08-26T03:50:38","modified_gmt":"2026-08-26T03:50:38","slug":"mus-mansion","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/www.ynatcn.com\/?page_id=658","title":{"rendered":"Mu’s Mansion"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mu’s Mansion (\u6728\u5e9c) \u2014 Lijiang<\/h2>\n
Mu’s Mansion<\/strong> (\u6728\u5e9c, M\u00f9f\u01d4), also known as the Mu Family Residence or Lijiang Ancient City Museum, is the former palace and administrative headquarters of the Mu Clan<\/strong> (\u6728\u6c0f\u571f\u53f8), the hereditary chieftains who ruled Lijiang for roughly 470 years<\/strong> across the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties.<\/p>\n
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Situated in the southwest of Lijiang Old Town at the foot of Lion Mountain (Shizi Mountain), it is often called the “Forbidden City of the Southwest.”<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Origins of the Mu Name<\/h3>\n
The Naxi people originally had no Han Chinese surnames. When the Ming founder Zhu Yuanzhang<\/strong> (Emperor Taizu) unified China, the Naxi chieftain Ajia Ade (\u963f\u7532\u963f\u5f97)<\/strong> pledged allegiance to the Ming court. Delighted by their loyalty, Zhu Yuanzhang bestowed the surname “Mu” (\u6728)<\/strong> upon the clan\u2014reportedly by removing the “person” radical (\u4eba) from his own surname “Zhu” (\u6731), leaving “Mu” (\u6728).<\/p>\n
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From then on, the ruling family used “Mu,” while commoners were given the surname “He” (\u548c), creating the saying: “Officials surnamed Mu, citizens surnamed He.”<\/strong><\/p>\n

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A History of Rise, Ruin, and Rebirth<\/h3>\n
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Period<\/th>\nEvent<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Yuan Dynasty<\/strong><\/td>\nOrigins “prepared in Yuan” (\u7565\u5907\u4e8e\u5143) \u2014 early structures established<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1382\u20131390<\/strong><\/td>\nMing chieftain Mu De<\/strong> began constructing the main buildings under Ming patronage<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ming Dynasty<\/strong><\/td>\nPeak of power and splendor; expansions including the Zhongyi Archway and Yuyin Tower<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1647<\/strong><\/td>\nPartially burned during the Qing conquest wars<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1860<\/strong><\/td>\nNearly destroyed in the “Western Yunnan Rebellion” (\u6ec7\u897f\u4e4b\u4e71); only a few western buildings survived<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1941<\/strong><\/td>\nUsed as a county middle school during WWII<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Feb 1996<\/strong><\/td>\nSeverely damaged in the catastrophic 7.0-magnitude Lijiang earthquake<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1998\u20131999<\/strong><\/td>\nFaithfully rebuilt with World Bank support and opened as the Lijiang Ancient City Museum<\/strong><\/p>\n
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The rebuilt complex follows the late-Ming architectural style<\/strong>, reconstructed by master craftsmen from multiple ethnic groups.<\/p>\n
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Architecture and Layout<\/h3>\n
Mu’s Mansion covers 46 mu (~30,667 m\u00b2 \/ 8 acres)<\/strong> along a 369-meter central axis<\/strong> running east\u2013west, with Lion Mountain at its back.<\/p>\n
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Its layout deliberately mimics Beijing’s Forbidden City, featuring a “front court, rear residence”<\/strong> (\u524d\u671d\u540e\u5bdd) sequence.<\/div>\n

The design masterfully blends:<\/div>\n
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    Han Chinese palace architecture<\/strong> \u2014 grand scale, axial symmetry, imperial-style roof brackets<\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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    Tang\/Song dynasty rustic elegance<\/strong> \u2014 simple yet sublime decorative work<\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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    Naxi cultural elements<\/strong> \u2014 water-channel layouts, local timber techniques, and Dongba symbols<\/p>\n
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    The complex contains 15 main buildings and 162 rooms<\/strong>, including:<\/p>\n
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    Building<\/th>\nFunction & Significance<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
    “Tian Yu Liu Fang” Arch (\u5929\u96e8\u6d41\u82b3\u574a)<\/strong><\/td>\nThe welcoming gate. In Chinese it means “Heavenly rain spreads fragrance”; in Naxi it translates as “Go read books”<\/strong> \u2014 reflecting the Mu family’s deep respect for education<\/p>\n
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    Zhongyi (Loyalty) Stone Archway (\u5fe0\u4e49\u574a)<\/strong><\/td>\nA monumental 18m-high white-marble gate bestowed by the Wanli Emperor<\/strong> of Ming. The inscription “\u5fe0\u4e49” (Loyalty & Righteousness) was an imperial gift<\/p>\n
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    Yishi Hall (\u8bae\u4e8b\u5385)<\/strong><\/td>\nThe main audience hall where the chieftain conducted state affairs. Above the entrance hang three imperial plaques<\/strong> reading “Chengxin Baoguo” (\u8bda\u5fc3\u62a5\u56fd \u2014 “Loyal and Devoted to the Country”)<\/strong>, gifted by Emperors Zhu Yuanzhang, Yongle, and Jiajing<\/strong> across the Ming Dynasty<\/p>\n
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    Wanjuan Pavilion (\u4e07\u5377\u697c)<\/strong><\/td>\nThe Mu family’s library, built in 1530. It once held tens of thousands of volumes<\/strong> \u2014 Confucian classics, Buddhist sutras, Dongba scriptures, and the Mu clan’s own poetry collections. Mu Gong’s<\/strong> Snow Mountain Poetry Collection<\/em> was even included in the Siku Quanshu<\/strong> (Imperial Library)<\/p>\n
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    Hufa Hall (\u62a4\u6cd5\u6bbf)<\/strong><\/td>\nThe “rear council hall” for family and private matters<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Guangbi Tower (\u5149\u78a7\u697c)<\/strong><\/td>\nGarden entrance tower<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Yuyin Tower (\u7389\u97f3\u697c)<\/strong><\/td>\nBuilt to enshrine imperial edicts and honor the “Voice of the Emperor” (\u5fa1\u97f3). A masterpiece of Naxi classical architecture<\/p>\n
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    Sanqing Palace (\u4e09\u6e05\u6bbf)<\/strong><\/td>\nA Taoist hall at the rear; climbing here offers a panoramic view of Lijiang Old Town and distant Jade Dragon Snow Mountain<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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    Xu Xiake and the Mu Clan<\/h3>\n
    The great Ming travel writer Xu Xiake (\u5f90\u971e\u5ba2)<\/strong> visited Lijiang in 1639 at the invitation of the 17th-generation chieftain Mu Zeng<\/strong>. Though Xu was not permitted inside the mansion (it was chieftain territory), he observed it from outside and famously wrote: “The splendor of the palace chambers rivals that of a king.” (\u5bab\u5ba4\u4e4b\u4e3d\uff0c\u62df\u4e8e\u738b\u8005)<\/strong><\/p>\n
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    During his stay, Mu Zeng treated Xu as an honored guest, commissioning him to write prefaces for his poetry and compile the Mount Jizu Gazetteer<\/em>. When Xu fell gravely ill with what we now recognize as a stroke, Mu Zeng arranged for porters to carry him all the way back to his hometown in Jiangyin\u2014a journey of 150 days<\/strong>. A statue of the two men stands before the mansion today, commemorating this cross-cultural friendship.<\/p>\n
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    Symbol of Unity<\/h3>\n
    Mu’s Mansion is more than an architectural marvel. It embodies the Tusi system<\/strong> (\u571f\u53f8\u5236\u5ea6), through which the central Chinese dynasties governed frontier regions via local hereditary rulers. The Mu clan maintained unwavering loyalty to the Ming and Qing courts, defending borders and promoting stability.<\/p>\n
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    Today, it stands as a powerful symbol of ethnic integration<\/strong> \u2014 built by Han, Naxi, Bai, and Tibetan craftsmen, blending multiple religious and artistic traditions into a single, harmonious whole.<\/p>\n
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    Visiting Information<\/h3>\n
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    Location<\/strong><\/td>\nNo. 49 Guangyuan Alley, Guanyi Street, Dayan Town, Gucheng District, Lijiang<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Opening Hours<\/strong><\/td>\n08:30 \u2013 17:30<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Entrance Fee<\/strong><\/td>\n~CNY 40<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Recommended Time<\/strong><\/td>\n2\u20133 hours<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Best View<\/strong><\/td>\nClimb to Sanqing Palace for a rooftop panorama of the old town<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Tip<\/strong><\/td>\nThe mansion is inside Lijiang Old Town; combine it with a stroll through the cobblestone alleys afterward<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
    As a core component of the Lijiang World Cultural Heritage<\/strong> site (inscribed 1997), Mu’s Mansion offers one of the most vivid windows into the political, cultural, and artistic heights of Naxi civilization.<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Mu’s Mansion (\u6728\u5e9c) \u2014 Lijiang Mu’s Mansion (\u6728\u5e9c, M\u00f9f\u01d4), also known as the Mu Family Residence or Lijiang Ancient City Museum, is the former palace and administrative headquarters of the Mu Clan (\u6728\u6c0f\u571f\u53f8), the hereditary chieftains who ruled Lijiang for roughly 470 years across the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. Situated in the southwest of … Continue reading Mu’s Mansion<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":612,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.ynatcn.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/658"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.ynatcn.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.ynatcn.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.ynatcn.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.ynatcn.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=658"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.ynatcn.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/658\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":659,"href":"http:\/\/www.ynatcn.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/658\/revisions\/659"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.ynatcn.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/612"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.ynatcn.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=658"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}