Former Residence of Chen Liuzhou

Former Residence of Chen Liuzhou

The Former Residence of Chen Liuzhou is a cultural heritage site protected by the city of Yangzhou.

Former Residence of Chen Liuzhou

The former residence of Chen Liuzhou consists of two sites: one located at No. 6, 8, and 10 Caomili Lane, and the other at No. 23 Yangxiang, Dongguan Street. Chen Liuzhou served as the Governor of Anhui Province. Caomili Lane was historically known as Cao Li Lane. Historically, the entire property belonged to the Chen Zhongyun family, a prestigious and influential official-scholar family in Yangzhou for four generations. From the year 1822 (Renwu in the Daoguang reign) to 1883 (Guimao in the Guangxu reign), the Chen family produced three imperial examination graduates (jinshi), with a father and son both awarded the honor of Chuanlu, and two others becoming juren (successful candidates in the provincial exams) and xiucai (local scholars). The Chen family—beginning with Chen Zhongyun in 1822, his son Chen Liuzhou in 1862, and his nephew Chen Xianqing in 1883—all participated in the palace examination and were conferred the title of jinshi. Furthermore, Chen Zhongyun and Chen Liuzhou were both awarded the rank of second class, first place (Erjia Diyi), granting them the honorable title of Chuanlu. Historically, people in Yangzhou referred to the Chen family as “a family of three scholars, with father and son both Chuanlu.” The Chen family residence, judged by its geographical location, the current state of its surviving structures, scale, design, and structural features, confirms that it originates from the mid-Qing dynasty or earlier. The carved brick gate towers at Nos. 6 and 8 still survive today, with similar designs; the gate tower at No. 8 has been sealed off with bricks, and an alternative entrance has been made elsewhere on its west side, while the gate tower at No. 10 was demolished and rebuilt after the liberation. The gate tower at No. 6 includes a row of four rooms, featuring a small five-rafter beam structure; stepping inside, you turn left into a main hall with three bays, built with round fir timber, a seven-rafter beam system, and a post-and-lintel style. The ancient and simple framework of the hall remains untouched. The gate tower at No. 8 has a row of seven small rooms; originally, there was a remnant of a Fu ancestral shrine facing the front. Passing through the ceremonial gate, you see a main hall with three bays, with an additional room for guests on the east side. This hall served as the Chen family’s formal reception space for ceremonial occasions. The structure is neat, refined, and well-crafted. Judging from the remaining evidence, this axis of the residence once had a total of five sections. To the west of this residential route lies a north-south alley, with three additional sections of residence to the west of the alley, all in the style of three rooms plus two wing rooms. However, the section at No. 10 was demolished and rebuilt after 1949, making it difficult to find traces of the original house. In addition to the properties on Caomili Lane, the Chen family also owned another old residence at No. 23 Yangxiang, Dongguan Street, which belonged to Chen Liuzhou and was called “Jinsu Mountain House.” The main gate faces east and is situated on the west side, with an east-facing gate tower in a spreading, fanned shape, constructed with exquisitely joined carved bricks. The lintel above the gate features four panels inlaid with rolling vine and ruyi (auspicious) patterns enclosed in circles, symbolizing “all wishes fulfilled.” Today, the entrance hall has been separated from the historically original buildings. Originally, upon entering, there were two adjacent residences facing south, each with three sections to the front and back, all five bays wide with two wing rooms. Today, only the front two sections remain; the southernmost front section was demolished to make way for a residential building of the No. 1 Middle School, and the existing front section’s original partition walls have been removed. The rear section, however, still retains a row of ten rooms with four wing rooms. Behind the western section of this residence, there remains a small garden that was part of the original Jinsu Mountain House, with traces of flowers and plants still visible. In the early years of the Republic of China, Chen Chongqing expanded and renovated the residence and wrote a poem titled “Garden Osmanthus in Full Bloom, Thoughts Arise,” as well as another poem called “Two Swallows”: “A small garden of half an acre, locked in deep serenity, stands as grand as Yuan Long’s hundred-foot tower.” From these verses, we can imagine that the garden was half an acre in size, containing osmanthus, peach blossoms, and other plants. Li Hanqiu mentioned in his novel *The Tides of Guangling* that the garden had “embracing pines, a forest of verdant bamboos, evening flowers competing with the slanting sun in beauty, and painted railings connecting with the surrounding corridors.”

Further Reading:

· List of the Fourth Batch of Cultural Heritage Protection Units in Yangzhou