Former Residence of Li Ruzhen

Former Residence of Li Ruzhen

The former residence of Li Ruzhen is a cultural relic protection unit of Lianyungang City.

Former Residence of Li Ruzhen

It is situated on Limin Street, Banpu Town, Haizhou District, Lianyungang City. Originally part of the Qing Dynasty’s “Banpu Salt Tax Office,” it was known as the “Salt Tax Office Gate” and is a two-courtyard Huizhou-style building.

Li Ruzhen (c. 1763–1830), courtesy name Songshi, was a native of Daxing County, Zhili (now Beijing), in the Qing Dynasty. After the age of 19, he moved to Banpu with his elder brother Li Ruhuang, residing in the Salt Tax Office Gate residence, where he wrote the novel *Flowers in the Mirror*, which has been passed down through the ages. In 1985, the Guanyun County People’s Government decided to establish the “Li Ruzhen Memorial Hall” on this historic site.

The construction of the Li Ruzhen Memorial Hall is of great significance for further research into the classical novel *Flowers in the Mirror*, establishing a “research center” for the novel, and developing tourism.

It was designated as part of the second batch of cultural relic protection units of Lianyungang City in 1993.

Protected Area:

A 20-meter zone outside the east, west, and north walls, and a 5-meter zone south to the road in front of the gate.

Banpu Town: Banpu Town is located at the southern gateway of Lianyungang City, only 15 kilometers north of the city center. The town covers a total area of 80.84 square kilometers, with 74,700 mu of arable land; it has a total population of 65,691 and administers 5 community neighborhood committees and 16 administrative villages. In 2008, it achieved a GDP of 777 million yuan, fiscal revenue of 35.1391 million yuan, and an average rural per capita income of 6,324 yuan.

[Historical Background] Banpu Town has been an important political, economic, and cultural hub in the ancient Haizhou region since its establishment as a town in the late Sui Dynasty (612 AD)... More details about Banpu Town++