Former Residence of Tang Qunying

Former Residence of Tang Qunying

The former residence of Tang Qunying is a cultural relic protection unit of Hunan Province, a classic red tourism attraction, and a patriotic education base.

The former residence of Tang Qunying is located in Huangni Village, Xinqiao Town, Hengshan County, Hengyang City.

The residence lies to the south of Tianzhu Peak of Mount Heng and faces Hezhen Town in Shuangfeng County to the north. After connecting to Provincial Highway S314, it is 42 kilometers from the county seat. Nestled within a bamboo forest and mountain sea, the area is picturesque. Tang Qunying’s tomb is located on a hillside in Huangni Village, Xinqiao Town, Hengshan County. With a gentle slope, surrounded by bamboo forests and mountains, the scenery is delightful.

Tang Qunying, female, was born in 1871 in Huangni Village, Xinqiao Town, Hengshan County, Hunan Province. In 1891, she married Zeng Chuangang of Heyetang, Xiangxiang (now Shuangfeng County) as his wife. After her husband passed away and their daughter died young, she returned to her parental home in Xinqiao, Hengshan, and never remarried, living in this former residence for a long time.

Tang Qunying was the first female member of the Tongmenghui (Chinese Revolutionary Alliance), an active follower of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, and actively participated in the Xinhai Revolution. She advocated for gender equality, and in her later years, dedicated herself to establishing schools and publishing newspapers. She is considered a pioneer of the Chinese women's rights movement. Dr. Sun Yat-sen praised her as a “heroine” and awarded her the Second Class Order of the Jade Grain. Kang Keqing, a member of the CPC Central Committee and Chairwoman of the All-China Women’s Federation, commended her as the “spirit of a generation.” Deng Yingchao, also a member of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Chairperson of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, referred to her as a “very well-known” woman. She is one of China’s Eight Great Heroines and one of the world’s 100 Outstanding Women.

Originally named “Sanji Hall,” the former residence of Tang Qunying was a quite famous and luxurious mansion in the surrounding area of Huangni, Xinqiao Town. It was meticulously built by her father, a military officer who was granted the title of “Zhenwei General” by the Qing government and returned to his hometown in glory.

Over time, through dynastic changes, this once grand and renowned residence gradually deteriorated and declined due to years of neglect and lack of maintenance. By 1980, some parts had collapsed, others were demolished, leaving only three study rooms known as “Shi Wujia.”

In 1991, on the 120th anniversary of Tang Qunying’s birth, the Hengshan County Committee of the Communist Party of China and the County People’s Government renovated her tomb and began considering the restoration and development of her former residence.

In 2001, with strong support from provincial cultural relics authorities, the county government restored the former residence of Tang Qunying following the principle of preserving its original appearance. In addition to restoring the gate tower, courtyard, and the “Shi Wujia” study rooms to their original state, they also newly established the Tang Qunying Memorial Garden, the Tang Qunying Deeds Exhibition Hall, and the Tang Qunying Poetry Stele Corridor. The entire structure retains its classic antique charm while being infused with new cultural significance, becoming a typical example of southern Hunan residential architecture.

Initially, Tang Qunying’s tomb was just a mound of earth without even a tombstone, as her savings had been used to fund a girls’ school.

In 1991, on the 120th anniversary of Tang Qunying’s birth, the Hengshan County Committee of the Communist Party of China and the County People’s Government built a tomb shrine for her. The tomb features a cement-mortared bluestone enclosure, a white marble tombstone, a cement-sealed mound shaped like pages of a book placed downward, and a spacious worship hall. A sign and description, designated by the Hengshan County People’s Government as a cultural relic protection unit, are erected on the side. In May 2002, the People’s Government of Hunan Province declared the tomb a provincial-level cultural relic protection unit and opened it to the public as an affiliated heritage site of the Tang Qunying Former Residence.

In May 2002, the former residence of Tang Qunying was designated as a provincial-level key cultural relic protection unit by the People’s Government of Hunan Province and is under application for national-level recognition. It currently serves as a Hunan Provincial Women’s “Four Haves” Education Base. In May 2010, it was announced as a Hengyang Municipal Patriotic Education Base by the Hengyang Municipal Party Committee Propaganda Department.

Huangni Village: Huangni Village…… More details about Huangni Village++