The representative work of Chinese castles is the Wang's Grand Courtyard

Located in Jincheng, at the southern edge of the Taihang Mountains bordering Henan, stand dozens of ancient castles from the Ming and Qing dynasties, known as Chinese-style castles. These ancient castle buildings are constructed of brick, wood, earth, and stone, and even include crucibles, a material discarded after iron smelting, forming true walls of copper and iron. The purpose of building these castles, similar to the Fujian Tulou and the Guangdong Diaolou, was for self-defense during turbulent times, to resist foreign enemies. The tall and thick walls served as a barrier, creating a safe living space for the people within. I chose to visit the more representative Wang's Grand Courtyard. This was an official residence, whose master was Emperor Kangxi's teacher, holding positions such as Minister of Works, Minister of Revenue, Minister of Punishments, Minister of Personnel, Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion, and the chief editor of the Kangxi Dictionary, Chen Tingjing, who had high prestige. Emperor Kangxi also stayed here twice, hence the castle was named 'Imperial City'. Stepping into the Grand Courtyard, the main building, Heshan Hall, is majestic and precipitous, with the surrounding walls giving a sense of the Great Wall. The walls are equipped with embrasures, soldier hiding holes are stacked layer upon layer, and various secret passages twist and turn, as if ready to welcome a flurry of battle at any moment. But when the view shifts inside the walls, it reveals a different kind of peace and comfort. The structure of each courtyard, the door lintels, couplets, wood carvings, and stone sculptures, show no difference from any other grand mansion in China, with the same purpose of passing on the family tradition of farming and reading, and continuing the legacy through education. The Chen family produced nine 'jinshi' degree holders and six Hanlin Academy scholars, enjoying 'five generations of imperial favor', truly a dazzling legacy. Standing at the highest point of the castle and gazing out, by comparison, the Fujian Tulou seems simple, and the Guangdong Diaolou too flimsy, while these earth-yellow walls are so majestic and sturdy, full of grandeur, like a giant shaking heaven and earth.