Three lanes and seven alleys were built in the late Western Jin Dynasty, which can be said to have a very long history. After the "An Shi Rebellion" in the Tang Dynasty, many people who moved south to take refuge lived here, and gradually formed a block with literati class and culture as the main residents. Some people compare the shapes of three lanes and seven lanes to fishbones and fishbones. Nanhou Street is a fishbone that runs through the north and south. The west three branches are three lanes, and the east seven veins are seven lanes. From north to south, the third lane is Yijinfang, Wenrufang and Guanglufang in turn, and the seventh lane is Yangqiao Lane, Langguan Lane, Taxiang, Huang Xiang, Anmin Lane, Gongxiang and Jipi Lane in turn.
Hundreds of ancient Ming and Qing buildings in Fangxiang, mostly adjacent, entered the courtyard. The basic form of courtyard is a three-in-one courtyard centered on patio. The courtyards are connected, the central axis is symmetrical, and there are finely carved stone and wood components and a stretched red bucket door. The architectural form of this quadrangle is also unique, which not only retains the characteristics of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, but also has a strong local flavor.
The hall is generally open and integrated with the patio to adapt to the hot climate in the south. In order to make the hall look tall, spacious and open, efforts are generally made in the treatment of the porch. Eaves purlins, or auxiliary eaves purlins, are specially made of thick, long and high-quality hardwood, and columns are lowered to make the hall free from any obstacles, which is extremely rare in northern buildings and other southern buildings.
Most of the ancient buildings in the south of the Yangtze River are stepped gables formed by a straight line at a 90-degree angle, but the saddle walls of the houses in the three squares and seven lanes are curved, and the corners are painted with clay figures of flowers, birds, fish and insects, which has strong Fujian characteristics.