Sanhe Helu

Sanhe Helu

Helu is located on the ancient South Street of Sanhe and was the former residence of Liu Bingzhang, Governor of Sichuan and a general of the Huai Army. He once owned over a hundred properties in Sanhe, but this is the only one that has been preserved and restored. It is said to be named after the image of a carefree crane choosing a fine tree to perch upon. The lane where “Helu” stands has small stone-paved roads and is relatively quiet, with no shops—just old-style houses with gray tiles and black bricks, many of which have their doors tightly shut. Upon entering “Helu,” the walls are lined with illustrated display boards showcasing the life and deeds of Liu Bingzhang, as well as some of the weapons and equipment from that time. Although the residence lacks a main hall building, it features five rows of single-story houses, each with twelve rooms in the front and back sections.

Liu Bingzhang (1826–1905), courtesy name Zhongliang, was a native of Anhui and originally from Sanhe Town, Feixi County. He became a Jinshi (advanced scholar) in the 10th year of the Xianfeng reign (1860). In 1862, he put down his pen to join the military, leading troops to suppress the Taiping Rebellion, repel the French forces, and decisively defeat the Nian rebels. He successively served as Governor of Jiangxi, Governor of Zhejiang, and Governor of Sichuan, and was a renowned general of the Huai Army. In the 4th year of the Guangxu reign (1878), he resigned to return home for family reasons and to engage in farming. In the 8th year of the Guangxu reign (1882), he was reinstated as Governor of Zhejiang. When the French occupied Vietnam and subsequently invaded China’s southeastern coast, he established a coastal defense headquarters in Ningbo, strengthening unified command, deploying coastal defenses, constructing long walls along the shore, laying landmines, sealing off harbors, and positioning all available warships to guard strategic points.

In March of the 11th year of the Guangxu reign (1885), French warships suddenly entered Jiaomen. He ordered the defenders to fire heavy artillery, damaging two French ships, which then fled in defeat to Jintang Mountain. A few days later, when the French ships again attacked north of Hudun Mountain, they were struck once more; a shell hit a key vessel, killing the French commander Mille on the spot, and the French ships hastily retreated, daring not to attack again. However, the French were not yet done; later, they sent small steamers to raid Baoshankou. He commanded the defending officers to select brave soldiers for a surprise counterattack, inflicting heavy casualties on the French forces. In the Battle of Zhenhai, one French ship was sunk, three were severely damaged, and multiple steamers and small boats were destroyed, dealing a heavy blow to the invaders.

The Sino-French Zhenhai Battle was the only engagement in modern Chinese history that relied entirely on local financial and military resources, sustaining 103 days of fighting, resisting the attack of the well-equipped French Far East Fleet, and achieving a comprehensive victory both diplomatically and militarily. It is also the only complete coastal battle victory in China’s modern anti-aggression war history. Together with Liu Mingchuan’s command in the defense of Taiwan against the French and Pan Dingxin’s victory at the Battle of Zhennanguan, it forms a magnificent chapter in the Chinese people’s triumph in the Sino-French War.

During the late Qing Dynasty, many Huai Army figures from Feixi purchased properties in Sanhe, leaving behind a cluster of notable residences. There was a saying at the time: “From Hefei to Sanhe, ninety li with eighteen town commanders.” The term “town commander” was another name for a regional military commander. Among the Huai Army figures from Feixi, there were over 30 officers holding the rank of Titu (equivalent to or above a provincial commander), and even more at the level of town commander. In Sanhe alone, there were five or six such figures. These town commanders competed to build residences in Sanhe, and naturally, the provincial commanders, governors, and generals were not to be outdone. Among all the houses, the finest were those of the Pan and Liu families. Pan Dingxin, Governor of Guangxi, and Liu Bingzhang, Governor of Sichuan, who had long resided in Sanhe, built exceptional residences on East Street. Though differing in layout, both homes featured revolving corridors and gardens, and their architecture ranked among the best in the Jianghuai region.

After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, many of Sanhe’s ancient residences were damaged, with some altered or demolished. Although the Pan Mansion of Pan Dingxin and the Zhang Mansion of Liu Bingzhang survived many hardships, they were demolished after the great flood of 1991—a tremendous loss to Sanhe’s ancient architectural heritage. Today, only Liu Bingzhang’s “Helu” remains well-preserved.

Helu faces west and is situated eastward. Because its eastern side is close to the Little South River, there is limited space for expansion, so there are only two rows of buildings, front and back. However, the front hall facing the lane is exceptionally large, almost the size of a volleyball court. Even more unusual is the presence of a courtyard enclosed by wooden lattice windows in the center of the front hall, with surrounding areas like a closed corridor—an extremely rare architectural structure. At the entrance is a couplet: “In the military tent, wielding reins with valor; in the clouded lodge, releasing cranes with a free heart.” The first line praises Liu Bingzhang’s heroic spirit as a Huai Army general, while the second extols the refined and carefree temperament of the master of Helu. Liu Bingzhang was the only Jinshi among the Huai Army generals besides Li Hongzhang, excelling in both literary and martial prowess. This couplet seems fitting indeed.

Sanhe Town: Located in central Anhui, Sanhe Town lies in the southwestern part of Hefei, the provincial capital, under the jurisdiction of Hefei. It borders Chaohu and Lu’an, with the Chaohu Lake to the east, and traversed by the Fengle River, Hangbu River, and Little South River. It sits on the golden tourism route between the national 5A-level scenic spots of Huangshan and Jiuhua Mountain. The Hefei-Tongling Highway runs through the town, while the Beijing-Kowloon Railway and the Hefei-Tongling-Huangshan Expressway pass nearby, offering convenient transportation and excellent location advantages. The town covers an area of 70 square kilometers, governs 19 villages and 7 neighborhood committees, with a population of 72,000. The Sanhe Ancient Town scenic area spans 4.71 square kilometers and has a population of over 30,000. … Sanhe Town detailed information++