This book is a full-length historical novel. Set against the backdrop of the construction of Qing Dynasty imperial palaces, gardens, and mausoleums, it follows the story of Lei Fada, the founder of the Jiangnan architectural style, from a common carpenter to a master architect of the Qing imperial court. The novel recounts the legendary life of eight generations of the Lei family, passing on their architectural design skills and the rise and fall of the Lei clan. Besides depicting the superb design and construction techniques and the unwavering craftsmanship of the Lei family, the novel interweaves related historical events, creating a group of vividly portrayed characters. It depicts the extravagance of emperors and generals, the corruption of local officials, and the infighting among craftsmen, as well as the warmth between fathers and sons, husbands and wives, and brothers, and the everyday life of ordinary people against the backdrop of the era, closely linking the fates of individuals and families with the rise and fall of the nation. Especially noteworthy is the three-hundred-year period from the late Ming Dynasty to the early Republic of China.
本书是一部长篇历史小说。小说以清廷皇家宫殿、园林和陵寝建造为叙事背景，以江南样式雷始祖雷发达从一位民间木工成为清廷皇家建筑巨匠为线索切入，讲述雷家八代从事建筑设计薪火相传的传奇人生和雷氏家族的兴衰起落。小说除描写样式雷高超的设计营造技艺和坚韧不拔的工匠精神，还穿插了与之相关联的历史故事，塑造了一批形象鲜明的人物；既有帝王将相的奢侈享乐、地方官员的腐败及工匠之间的勾心斗角，也有父子间、夫妻间、兄弟间的温情，还有时代大背景下的市井生活，将个人、家族命运与国家兴衰紧密连在一起。特别是从明朝末年至民国初期三百年，
本书是一部长篇历史小说。小说以清廷皇家宫殿、园林和陵寝建造为叙事背景，以江南样式雷始祖雷发达从一位民间木工成为清廷皇家建筑巨匠为线索切入，讲述雷家八代从事建筑设计薪火相传的传奇人生和雷氏家族的兴衰起落。小说除描写样式雷高超的设计营造技艺和坚韧不拔的工匠精神，还穿插了与之相关联的历史故事，塑造了一批形象鲜明的人物；既有帝王将相的奢侈享乐、地方官员的腐败及工匠之间的勾心斗角，也有父子间、夫妻间、兄弟间的温情，还有时代大背景下的市井生活，将个人、家族命运与国家兴衰紧密连在一起。特别是从明朝末年至民国初期三百年，
