Qinghe River Administration Office

Qinghe River Administration Office

The Qinghe River Administration Office is a national key cultural relic protection unit.

The Qinghe River Administration Office is located at No. 3 Xinghua Road, Baoding City. It is one of the most well-preserved Qing Dynasty provincial administrative offices in China and is now a key cultural relic protection unit of Hebei Province. Originally an administrative office of the local government during the Qing Dynasty, it later became the residence of warlord Wang Zhanyuan, and after the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, it served as the headquarters of the 28th Army. The existing building covers an area of 1,840 square meters, with the structure well preserved and still retaining the characteristics of late Qing official residences. The Qinghe River Administration Office is divided into eastern, central, and western sections, with the main north-south axis extending over 160 meters. The entire compound is not only renowned for its well-preserved condition in China, but the architectural craftsmanship is also highly refined. The buildings feature luxurious standards and exceptional construction techniques, which are another highlight of this complex. Moreover, the construction techniques and material requirements for all parts of the Qinghe River Administration Office project were quite high. All rooms feature hip-and-gable roofs, closely fitted bricks, and timber-framed structures. The interiors are equipped with wooden-beam ceilings and wooden flooring, offering considerable depth and height, as well as fairly thick fireproof walls. Compared to the Zhili Viceroy, the position of the provincial governor (Dao Tai) was lower, so the office naturally was somewhat smaller. Though compact, it is exquisitely built. Having withstood a century of storms, the several courtyards of the Qinghe River Administration Office remain intact, especially the intricately carved door lintels, which are remarkably exquisite.

In May 2013, the Qinghe River Administration Office was designated as part of the seventh batch of national key cultural relic protection units.

Further reading:

· Third Batch of Key Cultural Relic Protection Units of Hebei Province

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relic Protection Units