The Chen Helong Residence

The Chen Helong Residence

The Chen Helong Residence is a cultural heritage site protected by Wenling City.

The Chen Helong Residence is located on the west side of No. 39, Jin'yawei Road, Liruo Village, Shitang Town, Wenling City, Taizhou, Zhejiang Province. Facing south and situated to the north, it is a complex of wooden and stone structures covering an area of approximately 1,143 square meters. It was built in the late Qing Dynasty by Chen Helong, a prominent local fishing business owner. The main entrance gate is located on the east side. Upon entering, there is a central stone-paved path, and the building complex is divided by this stone path into front and rear sections. The front section consists sequentially of a garden, a watchtower, and a front building. A corner of the garden still remains. The watchtower is built of stone and has five stories. The front building is directly connected to the watchtower, featuring six bays and four stories in total. The ground floor serves as an underground warehouse, with a water gate facing the sea that allows boats to dock directly inside the building during high tide for unloading goods. In front of the building is a nearly 100-square-meter sea-viewing terrace. The door frame of the front building, the stone pillars of the terrace, and the railings are adorned with carvings and inscriptions, all exquisitely crafted. The rear section contains a total of seven rooms across three parts: the eastern three rooms are three stories high and serve as living quarters, named “Zhen Sheng Lu”; the middle room functions as a stairway corridor; and the western three rooms are used for daily living. A flying bridge connects the front and rear buildings. The former Chen Helong Residence is grand in scale and exquisitely constructed, making it a highly valuable architectural gem with distinctive features of a fishing community.

Liruo Village: Liruo Village is located on the southeastern coast of Wenling City. Originally part of Ruoshan Town, it was later incorporated into Shitang Town. Surrounded by the sea on the east, west, and north sides, the village is situated on the inner side of Ruoshan Mountain and is thus called “Liruo” (Inner Ruoshan), as opposed to the “Wairuo” (Outer Ruoshan) to its south. The houses in the village are built along the mountainside, making it a mid-slope settlement, and the traditional stone houses are well preserved. The villagers have made a living from fishing for generations. There are currently 20 steel fishing vessels in operation, making it a purely fishing-based village. The village covers an area of 0.14 square kilometers, with a permanent population of over 1,200 people, 38 Party members, a village committee of 6 members, 14 villager groups, and 49 villager representatives. Several hundred years ago, ... More details about Liruo Village ++