Dai Li's Former Residence

Dai Li's Former Residence

Dai Li's Former Residence is a cultural tourism attraction.

Dai Li's Former Residence is located in Bao'an Township, Jiangshan City, Zhejiang Province. The residence is full of hidden mechanisms, capable of concealing concealed weapons, setting up ambushes, and facilitating escape—its most famous feature being the secret escape tunnel.

Dai Li's Former Residence was personally designed and approved by the leader of the military intelligence agency in 1943. From the outside, it appears to be an ordinary residential house with white walls, black tiles, and a wooden structure. Upon entering, you’ll find a building with two stories in the front and three in the back, with a small hidden room on the lowest level. Some say this house is full of traps, able to conceal weapons, set ambushes, and allow for quick escapes. Inside, there are both visible and hidden staircases—the main one at the front and a spiral hidden staircase at the back, so narrow that only one person can pass through sideways. It’s cleverly concealed behind wardrobes and curtains, making it hard to notice. The rooms upstairs have many windows and doors, all interconnected like a chain of linked stone stools. Here, you can enjoy tea, play chess, or take in the scenery, experiencing a sense of leisure and tranquility far from the hustle and bustle of the world.

The hidden staircase in Dai Li's Former Residence was once concealed behind wardrobes, Buddhist shrines, and curtains. Spiral in shape, it was just wide enough for one person to pass and led directly to the basement. This design had two advantages: it saved a lot of space, and it minimized the risk of being shot by pursuers during an escape. Dai Li was a highly suspicious man, fearing assassination, and couldn’t even sleep peacefully in his own hometown.

The Muxian Bridge was built in the 13th year of the Republic of China (1924), funded by donations from the local bridge association. Although weathered by time, the ancient pine tree by the bridge still stands tall and lush. In the distance, you can see wisps of cooking smoke; ancient vines climb around the bridge, and a stream flows quietly beneath it. Villagers work at sunrise and return at sunset, creating a scene reminiscent of a paradise on earth.

Dai Li (May 28, 1897 – March 17, 1946) was a Lieutenant General of the Chinese National Revolutionary Army and the head of the Military Statistics Bureau (Juntong) under the National Government’s Military Commission. He was a native of Bao'an Township, Jiangshan County (now Jiangshan City, Quzhou), Zhejiang Province, graduated from the sixth class of the Whampoa Military Academy, and early in his career served as a soldier in the Zhejiang Army under Zhou Fengqi. Later, he left the army and went to Shanghai, where he met Chiang Kai-shek, Dai Jitao, and others at the Shanghai Stock Exchange.

Thanks to Chiang Kai-shek’s trust, Dai Li was long engaged in espionage and secret service work. He was responsible for the Nationalist government’s intelligence agency, the Military Statistics Bureau (Juntong), and served as its deputy director... More detailed information about Dai Li ++