The Former Residence of Ma Yukun in Guoyang

The Former Residence of Ma Yukun in Guoyang

The Former Residence of Ma Yukun in Guoyang is a cultural relic protection unit of Anhui Province.

The Former Residence of Ma Yukun in Guoyang was built in the 26th year of the Guangxu reign during the Qing Dynasty (1901). It currently consists of a single-courtyard complex with over 20 rooms, including a main hall with seven rooms situated on a one-meter-high raised platform. There are four wing rooms on each side of the main hall, and two reception rooms on each side of the front hall.

Ma Yukun was a patriotic general who fought against Russian, Japanese, and Eight-Nation Alliance forces. He once served under Zuo Zongtang in resisting Russian aggression and reclaiming cities such as Urumqi, and was stationed in Xinjiang for 16 years. During the First Sino-Japanese War in 1894, he commanded the victory in the southern defense battle of Pyongyang and was later transferred to Zhili. In 1900, he was ordered to lead troops defending Tianjin and Beicang against the Eight-Nation Alliance, and later escorted Empress Dowager Cixi and Emperor Guangxu during their westward flight. He passed away in 1908. His residence is an exquisite example of official mansions from the Qing Dynasty in northern Anhui, serving as a testament to his lifestyle. It features typical characteristics of northern residential architecture from the late Qing period and holds significant reference value for the study of ancient architecture, especially the art of mansion construction in the late Qing era.