Mandarin's House
Mandarin's House
4.3
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
Closed
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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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.3
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Brad
Hong Kong, China182,590 contributions
Dec 2024 • Solo
This is one of the UNESCO World heritage attractions at Lilau Square in the historic centre of Macau. It is a late-19th century residential compound of important Chinese literary figure Zheng Guanying. There is now also a separate Memorial and Museum dedicated to Zheng Guanying which you can enter through the courtyard within the Mandarin House as well. Opening hours are 10am to 6pm (closed on Wednesdays).
The Mandarin House did fall into disrepair and became something of a squatters residence for several decades in the 20th-century before being restored and brought back to its former condition after 8 years of work. It was opened to the public in 2010.
What you see is a large scale Chinese residence which was built up and added on over several decades. There is fine Qing Dynasty architecture on display and a couple of floors with rooms that include period furniture, carved wooden screens, panels and doorways along with other nice things to see. The inner courtyard moon gate is nice, a couple of the rooms are setup as interpretive experiences setup for learning about the building architecture and restoration efforts.
Alas, this is one of the places I always make time to visit at and around Chinese New Year. The entire compound is decorated very nicely with small kumquat trees, a few cherry blossoms are placed within a couple of the hallways and courtyards. There are also festive activities held here including traditional Lion Dances on CNY day.
The Mandarin House did fall into disrepair and became something of a squatters residence for several decades in the 20th-century before being restored and brought back to its former condition after 8 years of work. It was opened to the public in 2010.
What you see is a large scale Chinese residence which was built up and added on over several decades. There is fine Qing Dynasty architecture on display and a couple of floors with rooms that include period furniture, carved wooden screens, panels and doorways along with other nice things to see. The inner courtyard moon gate is nice, a couple of the rooms are setup as interpretive experiences setup for learning about the building architecture and restoration efforts.
Alas, this is one of the places I always make time to visit at and around Chinese New Year. The entire compound is decorated very nicely with small kumquat trees, a few cherry blossoms are placed within a couple of the hallways and courtyards. There are also festive activities held here including traditional Lion Dances on CNY day.
Written February 13, 2025
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.
olegkrylov
Ufa, Russia20,764 contributions
Aug 2024 • Friends
Mandarin House (Chinese: 鄭家大屋; Casa do Mandarim & Casa da Cheang) is a historic residential complex in São Lorenço, Macau. It was the residence and family home of the late Qing theorist and reformer Zheng Guanying (1842–1921). Mandarin's House covers an area of 4,000 square metres (43,000 square feet) and is one of the largest family houses in Macau
Automatically translated
Written December 22, 2024
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.
Emmanuel N
Sydney, Australia4,045 contributions
Jan 2020
Firstly it is free admission, so that is already a thumbs up! hehe..
You can dont bother about the write ups and the various exhibitions pieces of god knows what.
Just head around the place, and you will find many nice interior places to snap those nostalgic photos you have been craving for in Macau.
Make your photos black-white to get a more fuller effect!!
Overall, if you are a photo-junkie, this is a place for you!
You can dont bother about the write ups and the various exhibitions pieces of god knows what.
Just head around the place, and you will find many nice interior places to snap those nostalgic photos you have been craving for in Macau.
Make your photos black-white to get a more fuller effect!!
Overall, if you are a photo-junkie, this is a place for you!
Written February 19, 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.
thitsar
Bangkok, Thailand67 contributions
Aug 2019
We visited Mandarin House twice. First in late afternoon and then again in morning time (dressed in Qi Pao to take photos:) ). During our time in Macau we experiences typhoon so rain was on and off. This old Chinese residence was a relief from chaos in downtown Senado Square. It was nearly empty (but we met 2 big groups of students in our 2nd visit). Many rooms to explore historic lives in their time. Ancient Chinese architecture and small exhibitions. No entrance fee. A must see in Macau.
Written January 1, 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.
luxuryvoyage
Switzerland4,135 contributions
Nov 2019
The Mandarin House is a real gem. Hidden just behind Lilau Square and surrounded by modern residential buildings, it catapults the visitor 100 years back into a glorious past. The house has been gently renovated so that the place still looks authentic. Good written explanations especially at the beginning of the tour about the history of the family, the house and Macau from that time.
Apart from us there were very few visitors (in contrast to the famous St. Paul's ruins). We were also positively surprised that the entrance is free of charge.
For us the Mandarin House was the highlight among the historical sights in Macau and is a must do on the list for every Macau visitor interested in culture.
Apart from us there were very few visitors (in contrast to the famous St. Paul's ruins). We were also positively surprised that the entrance is free of charge.
For us the Mandarin House was the highlight among the historical sights in Macau and is a must do on the list for every Macau visitor interested in culture.
Written January 5, 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.
curiouser_and.curiouser
Singapore, Singapore186 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 November 23, 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, LA2,245 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 July 25, 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, China182,590 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 January 26, 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 December 21, 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, UK79 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 January 19, 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.
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