In 1981, a scholar who had lost his sight published the definitive dictionary of the Naxi pictographic language. This was Fang Guoyu, a Naxi intellectual born in 1903 who spent his life decoding the ancient symbols of his homeland.

His academic journey began in this residence at No. 32 Wenzhi Lane, a home he shared with his family after losing his father at age ten. As a child, Fang fell against an incense burner, permanently damaging his right eye. Decades later, when his remaining vision failed, his daughter Fang Fuqi obtained a special pair of glasses for him. When those failed, Fang sat in his study, named the Diligent Study Hall, and dictated his monumental research to his disciple, Lin Chaomin.

The physical space of the residence reflects this relentless pursuit of order. Built between 1796 and 1820 during the Jiaqing reign, the complex spans 1.98 mu and contains over seventy rooms. The architecture merges local Naxi design with the clean lines of Central Plains Huizhou style. Visitors move through a sequence of interconnected courtyards, composed of a principal residence with two successive courtyards enclosed by four-sided compounds and framed by two Runhorse Corner Towers, together with two smaller Sanfang Yizhaobi courtyards and a garden. The inner gateway still bears the imperial tribute plaque hung in 1884.Preserved as one of the largest and best-maintained residential compounds in Lijiang Old Town, it stands as a remarkable example of traditional Naxi courtyard architecture.

Inside the central hall, a bronze statue of Fang stands in quiet repose. The scent of old wood and the memory of his voice remain preserved in the quiet courtyards, reminding visitors of a scholar who mapped the history of the southwest by relying on the eyes of others when his own failed.