The Xu Mansion is one of the best-preserved Song-dynasty residential complexes in Chaozhou, a labyrinthine structure of courtyards, reception halls, and domestic quarters built around a series of interlocking garden spaces. The carved wooden screens and stone reliefs throughout the complex represent the most ornate surviving domestic architecture in the old city — a reminder that Chaozhou's merchant wealth was not simply commercial but also political.
The building now operates as a museum with interpretive panels explaining the Teochew clan system and the mansion's history. It can be busy on weekends; a weekday morning visit is quieter. Allow an hour to explore the full extent of the building, which is larger than it first appears.