The Lou of the Withdrawn Merchant
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Traditional Gutters
Attached to the front of the Gao Fu Garden is W. B. Galbreath’s personal residence. The architecture of the residence is consistent with the merchant homes built in the Yangzhou area of China during the 19th century. The home itself is a two-story lou. On the backside of the home a balcony stretches across the second floor creating a space for visitors to watch operas performed in the Pavilion of Flowing Fortune, located in the center of the nearby pond. Other features of the home include gutters for rain collection, shuttered windows, and fireplaces. Also, charcoal could be burned in the basement to heat the home during Memphis’ few cold months. The residence, however, does not utilize the hanging basket system found in many of the Yangzhou merchant homes. The hanging basket system, which was designed to maintain gender separation within the home, was deemed unnecessary by W. B. Galbreath given America’s culture.