Zhaojiabao, Fujian （福建趙家堡）

Zhaojiabao, Fujian

Zhaojiabao was built in 1600 during the Ming Dynasty by descendants of the Zhao imperial family of the Song Dynasty (960AD-1279AD), a copy of the structure of Bianjing City, the capital of the Northern Song Dynasty.

Surrounded by two city walls, Zhaojiabao has four gates facing four different directions. The city is divided into three sections: living section, etiquette section and garden section, with temples, pavilions, ponds, bridges and other public buildings inside.

There are five mansion houses at the center of the city, with 150 rooms in total. The three-story Wanbi House is the main architecture of Zhaojiabao, covering an area of over 400 square meters. It is now the Museum of Song History, exhibiting the portraits of 18 emperors from the Song Dynasty and related materials from the period.

With the nickname of “an imperial city without emperor,” Zhaojiabao maintains its original look. Zhao family's descendants, 600 people from 100 families, are still living in Zhaojiabao, which is a miracle in the history of humankind.