Former Residence of Mr. Xiang Hanping

Former Residence of Mr. Xiang Hanping

Former Residence of Mr. Xiang Hanping

Mr. Xiang Hanping was a native of Poziping Village in Shixiang. During the Republican era, he was a well-known figure in Guangdong and Guangxi. He served as a division commander and army commander under Chen Jitang, and relocated to Hong Kong in 1949.

The former residence of Xiang Hanping was initially built in 1937 and took a full decade to complete. It is a garden that blends Chinese and Western architectural styles, covering an area of approximately 30 acres. The estate is divided into two parts: “Zengchengzi” and “Jiali Garden,” comprising a total of 116 rooms of various sizes, including 63 dormitory rooms. The structure follows a symmetrical three-courtyard layout, flanked by side wings, with glazed tiles on the roof. The walls are made of polished blue bricks. The halls and rooms are symmetrically arranged and consist of two-story buildings.

The interior includes courtyards and landscaped gardens. The living quarters are predominantly designed in a Western style. The floors and ceilings are paved with waxed floral tiles, and there is a square several acres wide in front of the main gate. At the foot of the mountain behind the main building, there is a hillside garden and “Jiali Garden,” stretching approximately 500 meters in length. The pathways are entirely paved with floral bricks and pebbles, and the area features pavilions, terraces, towers, and corridors, with rare trees and exotic flowers planted along the sides. Although the overall architecture blends Chinese and Western elements, it retains an antique charm.

Xiang Hanping (1889–1978), also known as Guizhen and by the courtesy name Molin, was a native of Poziping Village in Shixiang. His ancestors originally bore the surname Zha, but for certain reasons, the family changed their surname from Zha to Xiang. He lost his father at the age of nine and was raised by his mother, Madam Chen Huimin. Though of short stature, he possessed remarkable courage and strategic insight.

In 1909, when hundreds of bandits raided his village, he led dozens of relatives and fellow villagers in pursuit, earning widespread fame in the locality.

In the first year of the Republic of China (1912), he went to Guangzhou to study law and politics and joined the Kuomintang. In 1919, he put down his pen and took up arms, enrolling in the Guangdong National Protection Army Officers’ Martial Arts Academy. After graduation, he served in the fleet, and shortly thereafter... More detailed information about Xiang Hanping ++