Dongyang County is a rich and populous area in central Zhenjiang where local residents of the Lu family have settled for 800 years. Between 1421 (the Ming Dynasty, 1368-1644) and the middle Qing period, people of the Lu clan continuously succeeded in imperial civil examinations and scored rapid promotions after being appointed as officials. They built a number of large mansions in the area as construction reached the height of its splendor. After 300 years of continuous construction a complete residence group of the Ming and Qing Dynasties came into being.

The Dongyang Residences are a group of constructions surrounded by the Yaxi Brook, which runs through the area. A wide, cobble-stoned street traverses the entire area from east to west. The Suyong Hall lies on the north side of the street with the Shide Hall to its east, the Shijinqidi to its west and Wutai Hall to its north. On the south side are Zhushidi, Wuyun Hall and Bingyu Hall -- most of which were constructed in the Ming period.

Constructions west of the Yaxi Brook include the Lushi Hall, Shanqing Hall, Jiahui Hall, Xianchen Hall, Shude Hall and Dunxu Hall. Built on huge, wooden structures, all the halls have ornate decorations and most of them are remains of mid-Qing constructions.

The Suyong Hall was the public assembly hall for clan members of the Lu family. As the axis of the whole group of residences, the hall stands out from other constructions due to its tremendous size. The hall is three bays wide and 10 purlins deep (about 3.3 meters). The materials used for girders and columns were carefully chosen and finely carved. Cap blocks and double arches connect the girders and columns together. The girder ends stretch out of the columns and are shaped into various patterns. All of the wooden brackets, blocks, girders and purlins display different carved patterns, leaving no blank spaces.