Henan Zhengzhou • Kang Baiwan Manor • A Journey Through History

"Kang Baiwan" was a name bestowed by Empress Dowager Cixi after the Kang family donated a million taels of silver, later becoming the family's collective title.

The Kang family's entrepreneurial beginnings date back to the Ming Dynasty when they migrated from Hongtong, Shanxi to Gong County, Henan, initially developing through agriculture, fishing, and sericulture before expanding comprehensively. During the Kangxi and Yongzheng reigns of the Qing Dynasty, the family entered a period of rapid growth, owning over 4,000 mu of land.

The Qianlong, Jiaqing, Daoguang, and Xianfeng eras marked the family's golden age, as they began collaborating with the Qing court, securing large orders for military uniforms and quilts. Family members entered imperial service, and the family acquired land and shops across multiple provinces.

Around the time of receiving the title "Kang Baiwan" from Empress Dowager Cixi during the Tongzhi and Guangxu reigns, the family began its decline, which continued through the Republic of China and Anti-Japanese War periods, ending centuries of prosperity.

Practical Guide:
📍Address: No. 59, Manor Road, Kangdian Town, Gongyi City, Zhengzhou, Henan
🕐Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday, 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM
🎫Ticket: 50 RMB per person, guided tour 120 RMB per person
🚗Transportation Guide:
🚌Public Transport: Take Bus 8B from Gongyi city center directly to the manor.
🚗Self-drive:
- From Zhengzhou: Exit at Gongyi West on Lianhuo Expressway or take National Highway 310 to Kangdian Town, Gongyi.
- From Luoyang: Eastbound on Lianhuo Expressway to Gongyi exit or take National Highway 310 to Kangdian Town.
- From Jiaozuo: Cross the Gongwen Yellow River Bridge to Zhanjie Town, Gongyi, then 10 km west.
📜Cultural Highlights:
1⃣️Underground Vault
This vault reportedly stored up to 78 million taels of gold and silver, equivalent to over 980 trillion today. Its ingenious design ensured security while showcasing ancient architectural wisdom.
2⃣️Canopy Bed
Carved from golden nanmu wood by ten master craftsmen over 1,700 work hours, taking nearly five years to complete.
3⃣️Door Pillow Stones
A set of three-tiered bluestone carvings in the main residential courtyard, recognized as a National Grade One Cultural Relic for their innovative composition and exquisite craftsmanship.
4⃣️"Leave Room" Plaque
A family instruction plaque for Kang descendants, written by Qing Dynasty Hanlin scholar Niu Xuan, now one of China's famous plaques preserved at the manor.
5⃣️200+ Year Dragon-Phoenix Grapevines
Planted during early Qianlong reign, these premium seedless Xinjiang varieties have one vine growing through a wall into another courtyard.
6⃣️"Three Living Gods of Wealth" Woodblock New Year Painting
33cm x 22cm rice paper print, gifted in the 1980s by Shandong Rizhao Museum's director who purchased it from locals.
7⃣️Ye Family Well
The only non-Kang property on site. When purchasing Ye's land, the well was excluded from the sale as "water represents wealth and life that money cannot buy."