Former Residence of Zhang Yuesong

Former Residence of Zhang Yuesong

The former residence of Zhang Yuesong is a cultural tourism attraction.

The former residence of Zhang Yuesong is located in Gaolin Village, Longhu Town, Ding’an County. Zhang Yuesong was the only candidate to achieve the prestigious title of “Tan Hua” (the third highest rank in the imperial examination) during the scholarly examination era in Hainan. He once earned praise from Emperor Jiaqing, who remarked that “talent can be found everywhere under heaven.” He served as the Provincial Administration Commissioner of Hubei (a rank equivalent to Second Class). He oversaw the compilation of the “Qiongzhou Prefecture Records,” excelled in calligraphy and painting, and was a renowned artist of the Qing Dynasty. Together with Qiu Jun, Hai Rui, and Wang Zuo, he was honored as one of Hainan’s “Four Great Talents,” and was recognized as the “Master of Calligraphy” among Hainan’s “Four Excellences”—namely, the “Reading Master” (Qiu Jun), the “Loyalty Master” (Hai Rui), the “Poetry Master” (Wang Zuo), and the “Calligraphy Master.”

There are two sites related to the former residence of Zhang Yuesong. One is his ancestral home, where he was born, covering an area of over 1,500 square meters. Today, only the main house remains, built in a hanging gable roof style. The other residence is located southwest of the birthplace, covering more than 1,200 square meters, featuring a traditional courtyard layout and a hanging gable roof style. It was built during Zhang Yuesong’s official career. Currently, only the main house, a rear building, and two side wings remain. To the west of the residence stands the Zhang Family Ancestral Hall, which was personally initiated by Zhang Yuesong in his later years. The hall spans approximately 1,500 square meters and includes a complete mountain gate, front hall, main hall, and corridors. The mountain gate, the west wing of the front hall, and the east corridor have been damaged and no longer exist, but the rest remain well-preserved. The residence was listed as a county-level cultural relic protection unit in 1986, elevated to a provincial-level site in 2008, and in the same year, the village was named one of Hainan’s Top Ten Historic and Cultural Villages. The village homes are built in traditional styles, with all lanes and paths paved with bluestone, preserving their original appearance in a rustic and natural way. Descendants of the Zhang family uphold the scholarly and educational values of their ancestors, fostering a rich cultural legacy with generations of talented individuals.

Zhang Yuesong (1773–1842), styled Zijun, also known as Hanshan or Xieshan, and with the pseudonyms Jue’an and Zhishan, was a native of Ding’an, Guangdong (now Gaolin Village, Longhu Town, Ding’an County, Hainan Province). He was the only person from Hainan to achieve the title of “Tan Hua” in the imperial examination era, and served as the Provincial Administration Commissioner of Hubei (a rank equivalent to Second Class). He eliminated various corrupt practices, was summoned by the emperor four times, and advocated for and assisted Lin Zexu in the strict prohibition of opium. He oversaw the compilation of the “Qiongzhou Prefecture Records,” was skilled in calligraphy and painting, and was a famous artist of the Qing Dynasty. Along with Qiu Jun, Hai Rui, and Wang Zuo, he was honored as one of Hainan’s Four Great Talents. He was recognized as the “Master of Calligraphy” among Hainan’s “Four Excellences”—namely, the “Reading Master” (Qiu Jun), the “Loyalty Master” (Hai Rui), the “Poetry Master” (Wang Zuo), and the “Calligraphy Master.” Zhang Yuesong — More Details ++

Gaolin Village: Gaolin Village… Gaolin Village — More Details ++