The Flower House (望安花宅) is located in Zhongshe Village, Wang'an Township, Penghu. It is called the Flower House because of its terrain: the area is surrounded by hills, resembling petals encircling a flower’s center. Early settlers built their homes near the “flower center” (mountain’s summit, 山仔尾頂), hence the name “Flower House.” In those days, the Flower House was a garden of over a hundred Minnan-style houses, a testament to its former prosperity.
Originally called "Flower House," the central hill of the village, known as “花心” (flower heart), literally denotes the center of the settlement. The Flower House community is one of the most well-preserved traditional villages in Penghu. When Mr. Chiang Ching-kuo inspected the area, he noted that the Flower House lay exactly at the heart of Zhongshe Village and thus renamed it the "Zhongshe House" (中社古厝). The entire village consists of ancient houses from a long time ago, forming a unique "single-seed" courtyard layout. The most famous of these is the Zeng Family House, whose windows bear the character 曾. In the preservation and maintenance of the ancient houses, this complex is one of the most intact, holding significant historical and cultural value.
In 2003, with the consent of all Zeng family members, renovations were carried out according to the original architectural core, and a covenant was drafted to ensure that future generations preserve the complete appearance when restoring the property. The prominent red-brick windows with the character 曾 clearly identify the family name of the building’s owner. The front gate adopts a "reverse swallowing" style, with the upper part finished as a flat brick surface, traditionally used for sun-drying fish or peanuts. The bird-walk on the front facade is adorned with elegant 5x5 Japanese flower tiles, and the wall stone differs from most Penghu ancient houses, which use quarried stone; the Zeng House is built with basalt. The front windows feature a bookish, scroll-like design.
This site has been listed among the world's 100 endangered places and is now officially registered as an "Ancient House Preservation Area" by the Cultural Heritage Administration.
**Recommended visit duration:** 1 hour