The Enchanting Carved Tower

Gaogang Carved Tower was built in the mid-18th century, with the overall architecture consisting of three front rows of single-story houses and a tower and garden at the rear. It was constructed by the Yao family, who came from Jiangnan and were in the timber trade. From site selection to completion, it took over two years and was officially finished in the fourth year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1739). This Yao Family Courtyard was unparalleled and prominent in Gaogang at the time.

Passing through the three front rows of single-story houses and continuing to the rear, the view suddenly opens up. To the northwest of the Carved Tower, there is a pond. The west corresponds to metal, and the north to water; water brings wealth, so a pond was built in the northwest direction. (This drew inspiration from the Golden Water River in Beijing, whose water also flows from the Jade Spring Mountain in the northwest.) Looking down at the Golden Water Pond, the whole pond resembles a gold ingot. To prevent the ingot from escaping, the owner designed the Mu Yu Fang (Rain-Washing Boat). A painted boat is also known as an unmoored boat, which does not drift with the current. Thus, the boat presses down on the bottom of the ingot, preventing it from running away and thereby securing the wealth.

The Carved Tower before us spans five bays, with three bright rooms and two dark rooms, and features a veranda in front. On the eave pillars at the center of the veranda, there are two inverted lions. One lion is holding a small lion, representing offspring; the other represents power. In the Jiangsu area, there is a saying: "Pet the lion's head, no need to worry about food and drink; pet the lion's tail, smooth sailing and favorable winds; from head to tail, wealth flows like water." The couplet on the main door reads: "The sound of the river never ceasing as the tide begins to rise; the curtain of clouds just opening as the moon becomes full." This reflects the thriving career and peak glory of the tower's owner back then.

As one of the only two remaining ancient carved towers, the Port Carved Tower is well worth a visit.