Former Residence of Qin Shusheng

Former Residence of Qin Shusheng

The former residence of Qin Shusheng is a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Henan Province.

The former residence of Qin Shusheng (also known as the “Qin Family Residence,” and listed as part of the fifth batch of Provincial Cultural Heritage Protection Units in Henan Province) is located in Ledao Village, Duanji Town, Gushi County. Built in the late Qing Dynasty, it covers an area of over 6,000 square meters. Originally a four-courtyard, four-entry large compound, it currently retains 28 rooms on two floors of the main hall building, 7 rooms on the west side. The buildings feature blue bricks and gray tiles with a wooden framework structure, stone bases and wooden pillars along the corridors, and carved floral patterns on the upper wood components inside the corridors. There is also an ancient well located on the east side of the backyard.

Qin Shusheng (1861–1926), courtesy name Youheng, also known as Cheng’an, was born into a farming and scholarly family in Ledaochong, Naxiang, Gushi. In the 12th year of the Guangxu reign (1886), he passed the imperial examination and became a Jinshi, serving as a principal official in the Ministry of Works. Soon after, he was appointed to the Drafting Office of the Imperial Encyclopaedic Bureau, where he served as chief compiler of the Geographic Compilation Maps. Later, he was promoted to Langzhong rank and then appointed as an imperial censor through supplementation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In the 29th year of the Guangxu reign (1903), he again passed the imperial examination in the Economics category, subsequently holding positions such as Prefect of Qujing in Yunnan, Judicial Commissioner of Yunnan, and Judicial Administrator of Yunnan. He was later transferred to serve as Educational Commissioner of Guangdong. At the outbreak of the Xinhai Revolution, Qin Shusheng took refuge in Shanghai. In the first year of the Republic of China (1912), the National Government intended to appoint him as Educational Commissioner of Henan, but Qin declined and moved to Beijing. He was then hired by the Qing History Bureau as the chief compiler of the Geographic Records, a position he held until the completion of the book.

Qin Shusheng’s works include Chronicles of the Northern and Southern Dynasties, Book of Tang, Essentials of Criminal Law, Literary Recordings of Cheng’an, Geographic Records of the Qing Dynasty, History of the West, and Continued Compilation of the New Chronicles of Henan. Qin Shusheng was a renowned calligrapher of the late Qing and early Republican period, with his calligraphic works included in the Republican Calligraphy collection, some of which are also housed in the Summer Palace in Beijing.

Address: Ledao Village, Duanji Town, Gushi County, Xinyang City, Henan Province

Qin Shusheng (1861–1926), courtesy name Youheng, also known as Huiming, and styled Guai’an, was born into a farming and scholarly family in Ledao Village, Nanzheng, Henan. He passed the imperial examination as Jinshi twice.

Qin Shusheng was a renowned calligrapher of the late Qing and early Republican period, with his calligraphic works included in the Republican Calligraphy collection, some of which are also housed in the Summer Palace in Beijing. He passed the imperial examination as Jinshi in the 12th year of the Guangxu reign (1886), and served as a principal official in the Ministry of Works. Soon after, he was appointed to the Drafting Office of the Imperial Encyclopaedic Bureau, where he served as chief compiler of the Geographic Compilation Maps. Later, he was promoted to Langzhong rank and then appointed as an imperial censor through supplementation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In the 29th year of the Guangxu reign (1903), he again passed the imperial examination in the Economics category, subsequently holding positions such as Prefect of Qujing in Yunnan, Judicial Commissioner of Yunnan, and Judicial Administrator of Yunnan... More detailed information about Qin Shusheng++

Ledao Village: Ledao Village is located 2 kilometers from the seat of the Duanji Town government, in a hilly region. The village enjoys a superior geographical location and obvious transportation advantages, with key infrastructure including the Shanghai–Xi’an Expressway, the Nanjing–Xi’an Railway, and Provincial Highway 204. The Gushi Railway Station on the Nanjing–Xi’an Railway is less than 1 kilometer from Ledao Village. Currently, the village committee is located in the former residence of Qin Shusheng, also known as the “Qin Family Residence,” which is listed as part of the fifth batch of Provincial Cultural Heritage Protection Units in Henan Province. The village has a total of 12 villager groups, 744 households, and 2,776 residents. In the 2017 village-wide development project, tap water was installed for residents facing drinking water difficulties... More detailed information about Ledao Village++

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Provincial Cultural Heritage Protection Units in Henan Province