Mandarin's House
Mandarin's House
4.5
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
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4.5
502 reviews
Excellent
225
Very good
213
Average
60
Poor
3
Terrible
1
curious_and.curiouser
Singapore145 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
Not a huge space but there are some interesting photo spots. I'm guessing this place might have suffered some neglect during the pandemic years as it certainly didn't look as spruced up as the photos posted pre-covid. So not a must-visit unless you are in the area.
Written 23 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Vincent M
New Orleans, LA2,256 contributions
Apr 2014 • Solo
The Mandarin's House is about halfway between the A-Ma Temple and the Largo do Sao Agostinho, and is an easy walk from either. Inside it a very large, very serene house where you can wander from room to room, through the courtyard, and up and down between floors. It's as if you had been invited into the elegant home of a wealthy mandarin during the last days of the old Imperial Chinese. (see photos) But because the mandarin worked with and studied Westerners, the house is an interesting blend of Chinese and European, like so much else in Macau. It's a very pleasant place to take a break from the crowds further downtown: very few people visit it, compared to the hundreds over at Sao Paolo and the Leal Senado. But there are two reasons while the mandarin's house is a particularly worthy destination while in Macau:
First, mint condition mandarin residences are rather thin on the ground nowadays, so this one's a rarity. The wealthy and powerful mandarins have had a tough last century in China, what with revolutions, collapse of law and order during the warlord period, the horrors of World War II, Civil War, and finally the victory of communists who had both the means and motivation to eradicate the entire mandarin class. Macau was the ONLY safe refuge during all of this: it even avoided WW II. That makes this a fairly remarkable piece of historic survival.
Second, the mandarin who lived here, Zheng Guanying, was also remarkable, not at all your typical mandarin. The Mandarin's House is also a museum where you can learn about the life, thoughts, and writings of Zheng. While largely unknown outside China, he was hugely influential in China, and his importance is receiving growing acknowledgement in the West. Though from a mandarin family, he went into commerce working for British firms in Shanghai and other places, and became one of Imperial China's more successful modern businessmen. He made a point of going down to the East Indies to observe what the Dutch were doing, and Indo-China to observe what the French were doing, and eventually moved to Portuguese Macao. And he wrote a thoughtful book, Words of Warning in Prosperous Times, explaining why the West was dominating China, and what China had to do to turn that around via reform. For example, instead of studying only the Confucian classics and calligraphy, Chinese needed to start learning science and technology: " "Oh woe! What they learn, is not what they need; what they need is not what they learn." Words of Warning was one of the inspirations for the Guangxu Emperor's last ditch effort to reform the empire 5 years later, the Hundred Days Reform. The book strongly influenced Sun Yat Sen and later Chinese revolutionaries, and Mao Zedong called it a source of encouragement for him in his early days. It's not too much of a stretch to suggest that 21st century China's state capitalism is the application of Zheng's prescription for national renaissance. There is a small gift shop near the entrance where you can buy books by and about Zheng, though the books tend to be either in Chinese or very expensive.
You can wander through the house itself in an hour or less, or take a bit more time if you want to go through the museum materials thoroughly, which I recommend.
First, mint condition mandarin residences are rather thin on the ground nowadays, so this one's a rarity. The wealthy and powerful mandarins have had a tough last century in China, what with revolutions, collapse of law and order during the warlord period, the horrors of World War II, Civil War, and finally the victory of communists who had both the means and motivation to eradicate the entire mandarin class. Macau was the ONLY safe refuge during all of this: it even avoided WW II. That makes this a fairly remarkable piece of historic survival.
Second, the mandarin who lived here, Zheng Guanying, was also remarkable, not at all your typical mandarin. The Mandarin's House is also a museum where you can learn about the life, thoughts, and writings of Zheng. While largely unknown outside China, he was hugely influential in China, and his importance is receiving growing acknowledgement in the West. Though from a mandarin family, he went into commerce working for British firms in Shanghai and other places, and became one of Imperial China's more successful modern businessmen. He made a point of going down to the East Indies to observe what the Dutch were doing, and Indo-China to observe what the French were doing, and eventually moved to Portuguese Macao. And he wrote a thoughtful book, Words of Warning in Prosperous Times, explaining why the West was dominating China, and what China had to do to turn that around via reform. For example, instead of studying only the Confucian classics and calligraphy, Chinese needed to start learning science and technology: " "Oh woe! What they learn, is not what they need; what they need is not what they learn." Words of Warning was one of the inspirations for the Guangxu Emperor's last ditch effort to reform the empire 5 years later, the Hundred Days Reform. The book strongly influenced Sun Yat Sen and later Chinese revolutionaries, and Mao Zedong called it a source of encouragement for him in his early days. It's not too much of a stretch to suggest that 21st century China's state capitalism is the application of Zheng's prescription for national renaissance. There is a small gift shop near the entrance where you can buy books by and about Zheng, though the books tend to be either in Chinese or very expensive.
You can wander through the house itself in an hour or less, or take a bit more time if you want to go through the museum materials thoroughly, which I recommend.
Written 25 July 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brad
Hong Kong, China175,926 contributions
Jan 2012 • Couples
We stopped by the Mandarin's House (free entrance) after visiting a handful of other World Heritage members of the Historic Center of Macau. On this day we visited attractions south and southwest of Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro. Of the many attractions in this area between Senado Square and A-Ma Temple, the Mandarin's House was one of the best to spend places to spend time.
The Mandarin's House is similar to the Lou Kau Mansion, located near St. Domingos, past Senado Square, but is a significantly larger compound with at least a dozen rooms up and downstairs as well as a few nice courtyards. We best enjoyed the courtyards and moon shaped entrances found within the compound. Overall, the Mandarin's House is a worthy place to spend 30+ minutes if you want to see what a 19th century traditional Chinese house would have looked like.
In this area of Macau, you can also easily visit other nearby inclusions in the Historic Center of Macau World Heritage Sight; Lilau Square, which is just around the corner as well as Barra Square and A-Ma Temple, about four or five minutes walk from the Mandarin's House.
Hint: There is now an excellent website for the Mandarin House, showing you details of each room. Its advisable to spend a bit of time studying this website map of the Mandarin's house so you have a decent idea of what you will see here.
The Mandarin's House is similar to the Lou Kau Mansion, located near St. Domingos, past Senado Square, but is a significantly larger compound with at least a dozen rooms up and downstairs as well as a few nice courtyards. We best enjoyed the courtyards and moon shaped entrances found within the compound. Overall, the Mandarin's House is a worthy place to spend 30+ minutes if you want to see what a 19th century traditional Chinese house would have looked like.
In this area of Macau, you can also easily visit other nearby inclusions in the Historic Center of Macau World Heritage Sight; Lilau Square, which is just around the corner as well as Barra Square and A-Ma Temple, about four or five minutes walk from the Mandarin's House.
Hint: There is now an excellent website for the Mandarin House, showing you details of each room. Its advisable to spend a bit of time studying this website map of the Mandarin's house so you have a decent idea of what you will see here.
Written 26 January 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Margaret E
22 contributions
Aug 2017 • Solo
While working in Macau for two weeks, I met an older gentleman who had actually grown up in what is now The Mandarin's House. "You must see it!" he urged me. "I was raised there. Now an UNESCO historic site!" I am very glad I did. I had read about the way Chinese extended families had once lived in compounds such as this; but I didn't have a concept of the floor plan, or realize the way all the apartments flowed together. (Not much privacy, I suppose, at least by modern western standards.) But one could easily imagine what it was like when occupied, especially during the peak of its glory. Some parts are simpler, some are grand and imposing. The young attendants at the entrance were quite helpful in sharing information, and visitors are free to wander and explore courtyards and living quarters within the compound walls. The mid-August day was an extremely hot one, and I particularly appreciated the "natural air-conditioning" so thoughtfully designed by the architects, keeping the hot air rising and moving out of the buildings. I got the feeling that there are plans to do more with The Mandarin House, such as to locate some more of the original (or at least period) furnishings.
Written 21 December 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
pageadayer
Chesterfield, UK80 contributions
Nov 2014 • Couples
The Mandarin's House was one of the highlights of our day trip to Macau. It's quite a walk from the Largo do Senado, but there are plenty of other things to see along the way. If you like historic architecture and places full of serenity, you'll enjoy this house. The restoration has preserved the flavour of the original houses, but also gives you plenty of information about its past and residents.
We arrived late in the day, and could only spare an hour or so, but we could easily have stayed for two, had we had more time. Despite the crowds elsewhere in Macau, this place was very quiet and almost empty. A must-see. It's free as well!
We arrived late in the day, and could only spare an hour or so, but we could easily have stayed for two, had we had more time. Despite the crowds elsewhere in Macau, this place was very quiet and almost empty. A must-see. It's free as well!
Written 19 January 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
pinballwyzard
Hamilton, New Zealand95 contributions
Jan 2015 • Couples
After getting lost in amongst the streets of old Macau - we stumbled upon this gem. Beautiful house that has been restored, hard to imagine that people used to live there that long ago.
Easily read short plaques on the walls give information about the history of the house and the restoration. Worth a visit.
Easily read short plaques on the walls give information about the history of the house and the restoration. Worth a visit.
Written 7 January 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nuno N
New York City, NY248 contributions
Mar 2019 • Solo
Very interesting place. A good example of the old traditional Chinese houses. Lots of history related to this place. Under renovations, some areas need major work. Still, the exhibitions were very interesting and well organized - whoever is doing it is well prepared and knowledgeable. The “museum shop” has some very good books and magazines on Macau. Definitely a place to visit in Macau.
Written 9 November 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brad
Hong Kong, China175,926 contributions
Jan 2014 • Couples
The Mandarin House is a residential compound originally owned by reformist and literary figure Zheng Guanying in the late 19th century. The property was included in the 2005 UNESCO World Heritage for the Historic City Centre of Macau. However, it was not opened to the public in 2010 after several years of restoration.
Today, you can visit the Mandarin House (free entry) and see representation of various Chinese architectural styles in the two main buildings found within the premises. Both include upstairs and downstairs rooms, many of which include traditional furnishing while others present information about the Mandarin House, its history as well as the life, profession and writings of Zheng Guanying.
During Chinese New Year the Mandarin House is particularly attractive and worth visiting. At this time of the year, the compound is filled with mandarin trees, blossom trees and other Chinese New year plants and decorations.
Overall, we find the Mandarin House to be one of the best overall attractions that make up Macau World Heritage. It is well worth 30-60 minutes of your time to explore if you want to see a wonderfully restored Chinese residential compound as are of your visit to Macau.
Today, you can visit the Mandarin House (free entry) and see representation of various Chinese architectural styles in the two main buildings found within the premises. Both include upstairs and downstairs rooms, many of which include traditional furnishing while others present information about the Mandarin House, its history as well as the life, profession and writings of Zheng Guanying.
During Chinese New Year the Mandarin House is particularly attractive and worth visiting. At this time of the year, the compound is filled with mandarin trees, blossom trees and other Chinese New year plants and decorations.
Overall, we find the Mandarin House to be one of the best overall attractions that make up Macau World Heritage. It is well worth 30-60 minutes of your time to explore if you want to see a wonderfully restored Chinese residential compound as are of your visit to Macau.
Written 2 February 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Guesswhat229
Singapore373 contributions
July 2013 • Friends
if you are visiting A-Ma temple or the Maritime museum and have some extra time. Do consider walk up to this heritage house. Just follow the sign, about 10 mins walk along the stretch of shop houses (starting from Koi Kei bakery shop).
Entrance is free but please let the front office staff know where you are from and the number of
visitor. They need to record.
it is a very well preserved traditional Mandarin's style mansion. Intrresting architecture, big
courtyard and how they demarcate the functionalities of different sections the mansion. You can still see some old furnitures on display.
Just need to spend about 15 minutes there. There is also a souvenir shop next to the entrance if you are interested.
Entrance is free but please let the front office staff know where you are from and the number of
visitor. They need to record.
it is a very well preserved traditional Mandarin's style mansion. Intrresting architecture, big
courtyard and how they demarcate the functionalities of different sections the mansion. You can still see some old furnitures on display.
Just need to spend about 15 minutes there. There is also a souvenir shop next to the entrance if you are interested.
Written 17 July 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
😀😉😊
Macau, China18 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
A very historical place,good for learning history,scchools learning history should go there .it's a really old place,
Written 25 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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