The story of the Liu family compound is not simple!

(Photo/Xu Xiangrui)

Among the ancient dwellings on Tobe Mountain, the one with the longest historical origin belongs to the Liu family compound. The Liu family tree is complete and has been handed down in an orderly manner for more than 2,000 years.

(Photo/Xu Xiangrui)

The owner of the compound is Liu Xiang, the fourth-generation grandson of Liu Jiao, the brother of Liu Bang, the king of Chu Yuan.

Liu Xiang, a native of Pei County, was a famous cataloger and literary scholar in the Western Han Dynasty, compiling books such as "The New Preface", "Saying the Court", "The Legend of Women" and "Warring States Strategy", and co-editing "Shanhaijing" with his son Liu Xin. Liu Xiang and his son Liu Xin were important figures in re-studying and organizing the writings and doctrines of the hundred schools of thought after Confucianism had unified the world as a scripture, and his "Other Records" pioneered Chinese cataloguing.

(Photo/Li Ting)

After his death, Liu Xiang was buried in Jiu Li Mountain, north of the city, and his grave was moved several times.

One of the descendants of the Liu family was dedicated to Liu Xiang's tomb and ancestral hall outside of Xuzhou, which was passed down from generation to generation. In the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, forced by floods, Liu's descendants moved to live on the Ma-shi Street north of the Houbu Mountain. Liu's descendants followed the social and economic development of Xuzhou, and successively operated textile and cloth, north and south groceries, hotels and grain stores. So far, the Liu family went to a rich business path.

"Taiheyuan" is a store with two stores, connecting Ma Shi Street and Dao Ping Road. Taiheyuan is a north-south goods store, with brown sugar, rock sugar, red dates, brooms and other goods.

Yuxiu Pool is also on Dao Ping Road, adjacent to Taiheyuan, Yuxiu Pool is a famous bath in Xuzhou South Pass.

Xinquan Brewery in Ma Shi Street, No. 55, Xinquan Brewery is the use of an ancient well brewing, well water quality is excellent, the wine is also fragrant, known as the South Pass.

Songmao Grain House is located on Sanmin Street (Jiefang Road), which has been in business for 60 to 70 years until the early founding of the People's Republic of China.

During the Guangxu period, the descendants of the Liu family bought a house at the northern foot of Houbu Mountain and rebuilt the courtyard to become one of the wealthy families in Houbu Mountain.

(Photo/ Xu Xiangrui)

Time is extraordinarily gentle

The original appearance of the compound has been carefully preserved.

(Photo/Xu Xiangrui)

The Liu family was very careful about the layout and design of the compound.

At that time, the back garden of the Liu family was the largest private garden in Houbu Mountain, and the wall reached the pavilion of the horse-playing platform, and there was the "Pinglin Pavilion" overlooking the whole city.

In 1985, a part of the back garden of the Liu family compound was converted into a part of the horse-playing pavilion.

(Photo: Li Ting)

The green and gray walls are quiet.

The green and gray walls are silent, and the banana trees and the grasses growing freely behind the house are hidden at high and low levels.

It tells the story of the heart that no one can understand.

(Photo: Li Ting)

These buildings have seen too much history, and have become history itself. The years have witnessed these ancient buildings that have been baptized by time, and they have always loved them with warmth.

(Photo/Li Ting)

What we see are the buildings

Behind the buildings are hidden the wasted years