The construction date of the Mandarin’s House can be traced back as early as 1869. This is the family home of prominent Chinese literary figure Zheng Guanying (1842-1921), whose works on the opening of economic markets influenced Emperor Guangxu, Dr. Sun Yat Sen and Mao Tse Tung, promoting major historic changes in China.
The construction of the Mandarin’s House was initiated by Zheng Wenrui, the father of Zheng Guanying. The house covers an area of about 4000 square metres. The entire complex is made up of various buildings, including an entrance gatehouse, courtyards, servants’ and master’s quarters, extending more than 120 metres alongside Barra Street. The buildings are predominantly Chinese in style, with subtle western influences in the decorative motifs, also marking a period in Macao when Chinese architecture started to display a fusion of styles from different cultures. In the main buildings, the placement of the main living room on the upper floor shows an unconventional planning approach, rare in the layout of traditional Chinese residential dwellings. Chinese architectural tectonics can be observed in the house superstructure, the choice of building materials, the colourful relief ornamentations of the friezes and the detailing of doors. Western and other influences are expressed on the plasterwork of arched ornamentations over doorways and windows, decorative stucco on false ceilings and the use of mother-of-pearl window panels, a technique that is also common in India.
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Special Web Page
Please scan the QR Code or directly login to the website (vr.icm.gov.mo/wh/mandarinhouse) to enjoy the VR tour of the Mandarin’s House
