Former Residence of Ronglu

Former Residence of Ronglu

The former residence of Ronglu is located south of Jiaodaokou in Dongcheng District and is a district-level cultural heritage site. The Ronglu residence faces south and consists of three parts: a Western-style building on the west side, a residential area on the east side, and a garden in the middle, forming a five-courtyard layout. The compound includes a reverse-facing row of rooms, a hallway, the main house, and two ancestral halls, among which the reverse-facing row has three rooms and the hallway also has three rooms, all topped with flush-gable gray tubular tiles. The main house has three rooms, flanked by two wing rooms each, with a three-tiered terrace in front. The east and west wing rooms each have three rooms, featuring corridors and bracket sets. The doors, windows, and interior decorations of the main house are all in the style of the Qing Dynasty. Originally, there was a garden in the center of the courtyard, but it has been completely demolished and replaced with dormitory buildings. This residence was originally the home of Ronglu’s father. Later, Ronglu moved to Dongchang Hutong, and the ancestral home in Ju’er Hutong was sold to outsiders, resulting in its division into multiple separate residences.

The residence is divided into three parts: the Western-style building on the west, the garden in the middle, and the residential area on the east, with the residential section consisting of a five-courtyard layout. The existing structures include the reverse-facing row of rooms and the hallway. The main house, ancestral hall, and the central garden have all been demolished. Only a two-story Western-style building remains in the western part. It is a key cultural heritage site under the protection of Dongcheng District.

Ronglu (1836–1903) once served as Minister of the Imperial Household Department, Minister of Works, Minister of War, Viceroy of Zhili and Minister of Beiyang, and Grand Councilor, among other positions.