Memorial Hall of Ge Yunfei

Memorial Hall of Ge Yunfei

The Memorial Hall of Ge Yunfei serves as a patriotic education base.

In Yunfei Village, Jinhua Town, Xiaoshan District, lies the hometown of Ge Yunfei, a national hero and renowned anti-British general during the First Opium War. Upon entering the village, structures such as the "Hometown Memorial," "Martyrdom Pavilion," "Yunfei Bridge," and the "Ge Family Ancestral Hall" all speak to the deep reverence held for this hero. On December 30th, Jinhua Town grandly held the opening ceremony of the Memorial Hall of Ge Yunfei, adding a new landmark to this Hangzhou municipal patriotic education base in Yunfei Village.

Over 160 years ago, the British Empire launched the long-planned Opium War. Faced with foreign invasion, in October 1841, Ge Yunfei, the commander-in-chief of Dinghai, led 5,800 soldiers. Despite being heavily outnumbered and without reinforcements, they fought bravely to the death. Ge Yunfei sustained over 40 wounds, with cannon fire piercing his chest and back. He died standing upright against the cliff, embodying great patriotism and noble national integrity. Passing through the red-painted gates of the Memorial Hall of Ge Yunfei, one is greeted by the majestic statue of Ge Yunfei. Inside the exhibition hall, historical artifacts related to Ge Yunfei—including stone training piles, the hat he wore in childhood, and portraits—are on vivid display. Qiu Xunxiang, the village Party secretary, remarked, "Gathering these hasn’t been easy. It took joint efforts from villagers and strong support from leaders at both district and town levels, as well as experts from the Zhoushan Opium War Memorial Hall, Xiaoshan Museum, and the District History Society."

Yunfei Village is a municipal-level patriotic education base in Hangzhou, with many people coming each year to pay tribute to the hero. "The goal of building this memorial hall well is to promote the spirit of patriotism. Our village also plans to establish a Ge Yunfei Research Association, to collect and publish historical documents, stories, and legends about Ge Yunfei, and to renovate his former residence, the Gongbao Mansion, ensuring that his patriotic spirit lives on forever," said Qiu Xunxiang.

Ge Yunfei (1789–1841), courtesy names Pengqi, Lingtai, and Yutian, was a native of Shantoubu Village, Tianle Township, Shanyin (now part of Xiaoshan). His ancestors were Zhang Jun, a Southern Song Dynasty general who resisted the Jin invaders, later taking the surname Ge. Born into a military family, his father, Yongsheng, served as a Qianzong (military officer) in Ming's Changhuai Guard. From an early age, he trained in martial arts under his father, attended private school at age 7, and studied both literature and the arts. He admired Yue Fei, the national hero of the Southern Song Dynasty, and kept in mind the adage: "Civil officials should not love money; military officials should not fear death." In the 19th year of the Jiaqing reign (1814), he passed the martial examination and became a martial student. In the 24th year, he earned the title of martial candidate. In the 3rd year of the Daoguang reign (1823), he achieved the rank of martial jinshi (advanced scholar), was appointed as a provisional camp defender, and later promoted... More details about Ge Yunfei++

Yunfei Village: Currently covering an area of 2.62 square kilometers, Yunfei Village has a total population of 1,868, comprising 20 villager groups. It ranks 10th in size among villages in the town. The two natural villages within it are 1.5 kilometers apart, and each faces a heavy workload across various tasks. To develop the village economy, we must fully leverage the cultural advantage of being the "hometown of national hero Ge Yunfei," develop resources, actively attract investment, and effectively manage renovated roads, sanitation, greenery, and other facilities. This will ensure the steady progress and continuous innovation of Yunfei Village’s economic and social development initiatives. We must rely... More details about Yunfei Village++