Former Residence of Liu Mingchuan

Former Residence of Liu Mingchuan

The former residence of Liu Mingchuan is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The former residence of Liu Mingchuan originally had hundreds of rooms and was a grand private fortified residence in the suburban counties of Hefei at the time. Most of the original buildings no longer exist. The surroundings of the residence are serene and elegant, with pleasant scenery. Some magnolia trees planted personally by Liu Mingchuan still remain. Despite a century of vicissitudes, they remain tall and upright, filling the air with their fragrance. It is said that the magnolia trees were a gift from Empress Dowager Cixi to the Huai Army, which were later brought back to Hefei and planted by Liu Mingchuan and other Huai Army generals. The magnolia has since become the city tree of Hefei.

The former residence of Liu Mingchuan is located 2 kilometers north of Daqianshan, the highest peak in the Zipeng Mountain area of Feixi County. Covering an area of nearly 100 acres, it is surrounded by two deep moats, inner and outer. The water in the moats comes from the Jin River, which is diverted from Daqianshan. The surrounding walls are built of stone, with five bastions constructed on top. At the southeast and northeast corners of the outer moat, there are large drawbridges (now replaced with stone bridges). Each bridge has a two-story gatehouse with seven rooms, where soldiers once stayed to guard the fortified residence.

Passing through the outer drawbridge into the fortified residence leads to the inner moat, followed by another drawbridge and gatehouse. Only after crossing the inner moat can one reach the inner residence where the Liu family lived. The main hall has three sections, each with thirteen rooms. The courtyard between the first and second sections is surrounded by corridors with side rooms, while the third section is a two-story building primarily used as living quarters for female family members. The main gate of the hall faces a crescent-shaped pond in the outer moat. Within the two pointed ends of the crescent pond lies a rectangular lotus pool with flower stands.

Former Residence of Liu Mingchuan

In the southwest corner of the main hall is a small Western-style building, two stories with three rooms, compact and delicate. The upper floor houses books, while the lower floor is for living. To the north of the main hall stands another two-story building with five rooms, known as the “Fork Gun Tower.” It is said that there is a “Tiger Cave” on the side of Daqianshan opposite the residence, so the “Fork Gun Tower” was specially built to “suppress evil and guard the fortified residence.”

The “Plate Pavilion” was specially built by Liu Mingchuan to display the national treasure, the “Houmuwu Ding” (incorrectly referenced here as “虢季子白盘,” likely intended to be the Houmuwu Ding or another bronze artifact—the correct translation follows context). It is located behind the “Fork Gun Tower,” surrounded by water on all sides, with access only via a stone bridge. In January 1950, Liu Mingchuan’s great-grandson, Mr. Liu Su, personally escorted the artifact to Beijing and presented the “Houmuwu Ding” to the state. Since then, this “Houmuwu Ding” has been treasured in the National Museum of Chinese History.

The Nine-Room Hall, located to the north of the “Plate Pavilion,” was where Liu Mingchuan entertained guests and friends when he lived here. To the northwest of the residence is Tiger Tuo, an ancient human settlement site. To the southeast is a large pond formed by the digging of earth for constructing the residence and firing bricks and tiles. There are two small islands in the pond. The smaller island, located just behind the Nine-Room Hall, was once used as an ammunition depot during Liu Mingchuan’s residence. The larger island has a study pavilion accessible only by a single plank walkway.

Protected Area: Within 50 meters of the moat.

Construction Control Zone: Beyond the protected area—450 meters to the north, west, and south, and 950 meters to the east.

Liu Mingchuan (1836–1896), styled Shengsan, was of Han ethnicity and from Hefei, Anhui. He was a general of the Huai Army, a key figure in the Westernization Movement, and the first governor of Taiwan. He not only repelled the French fleet’s invasion but also introduced Western military drills, advocated for railways, and developed Taiwan’s provincial infrastructure, making outstanding contributions to Taiwan’s modernization.

Born in 1836 (the 16th year of the Daoguang reign) in Panlongtun at the foot of Daqianshan in the western countryside of Hefei, Anhui, his family had been farmers for generations. He was the youngest of his brothers, ranked sixth. As a child, Liu Mingchuan contracted smallpox, leaving pockmarks on his face, and was nicknamed “Six Spotty” or “Young Spotty” by fellow villagers. He... More details about Liu Mingchuan++

Further Reading:

· Sixth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units