The Fireplace

The most prominent feature of the main room is the fireplace. Without a chimney, the fireplace is intended purely to invoke the setting of a sitting room or parlor.

Chiang A-Hsin’s Calligraphy

"Green moss grows on the steps.The color of grass illuminates the curtains.
Conversation and mirth in the company of the learned and wise" These are verses written by the Tang Dynasty poet Liu Yuxi. Chiang A-Hsin was a skilled calligrapher with an extensive knowledge of literature. His selection of this verse from Liu’s work Loushi Ming suggests that erudition should be held in the highest esteem and should be used to impart the desire for learning in future generations.

Plasterwork

The plasterwork relief on the ceiling and the cornice were hand-sculpted with a trowel by a renowned artisan named Chen Tien. The ornamental floral relief was crafted to ensure that each blossom appears distinct in order to enhance the illusion of depth.

Colored Plasterwork

The mansion’s plaster ceiling and wall surfaces make use of plant-based pigments rendered to the thickness of an eggshell in a distinctively Western color palette.

Wooden Screens

The mansion has a large variation of window and door styles deployed as partitions or screens that privilege natural light and ventilation. The glazed panels on both sides of the main room could be demounted for informal gatherings, large banquets and other occasions that demanded, above all, flexibility. Note how the transparent glazing above admits light while the frosted glass below maintains privacy.

Terracotta Roof Tiles

These three terracotta forms preserved from the original roof include a
three-pointed ridge tile (sangu), a rounded eave “ghost” tile, (guai or onigawara in Japanese), and a rounded eave-end tile (yuba or sumi tomoegawara in Japanese).

Lavatory

The sink is a fixture retained from the mansion in its original state. Please do not touch.

Bathroom

The bathroom is based on a traditional Japanese wet room arrangement. Note the difference between the newly installed and original mosaic tiles.

Wooden Stair for Guests

The wooden staircase for guests was assembled from over a hundred components joined without the use of nails. Due to a weight restriction and to preserve the integrity of the restoration, the stair is not accessible to visitors.

Stairways

The mansion has two staircases. The wooden stair to the right of the main room was intended for guests. A second stair to the rear was used by the family and finished in mosaic tile.