Former Residence of Zhang Yu

Former Residence of Zhang Yu

The former residence of Zhang Yu is located at No. 7, Gangniupo Fort Lane, Nanru Village, Rucun Township, Wutai County. Zhang Yu (1883–1914) was a native of Nanru Village. In 1904, he went to Japan to study. During the 1911 Taiyuan Uprising, he served as captain of the Taiyuan Dare-to-Die Corps and was later appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Shanxi Northern Army and Commander of the Fourth Banner.

In 1913, he served as Chief of Staff and Commandant of the Training Regiment under the Shanxi Military Governor’s Office. In 1914, he became Commander of the 12th Mixed Brigade. He passed away that same year due to illness at the age of 31 and was buried at the foot of the southern mountain in Nanru Village. The residence faces south and covers an area of 505 square meters. The main building has three bays in width and five rafters in depth, with a front corridor and a flush gable roof. The stone base supports the structure, with the central bay featuring a door and the two side bays having windows. There are two wing rooms on each side, each with two bays, along with circular brick gateways. The east, west, and south rooms each have three bays in width and four rafters in depth, with flush gable roofs and brick-framed doors and windows. The main gate is a single bay with a depth of two rafters, featuring a hanging gable roof. The horizontal plaque above the door reads “Exemplary in Filial Piety and Chastity” and “Written by Xu Run Di in the 2nd Year of the Daoguang Reign (1822) of the Qing Dynasty.” The bracket sets display intricate carvings, and the courtyard includes several auxiliary structures.

Source: Xinzhou Website

Zhang Yu (1883–1915), courtesy name Yutang, childhood name Fulai, was a native of Nanru Village, Wutai County, Shanxi Province. He was a military leader in the Shanxi Uprising during the Xinhai Revolution and held the rank of Major General in the Army.

He was born in the ninth year of the Guangxu reign during the Qing Dynasty (1883). His family was poor from an early age.

In the fifteenth year of the Guangxu reign (1889), at the age of 7, he lost his father. His mother, Lady Guo, was skilled in needlework and embroidery, and the family made a living by working as servants. He attended a private school in his early years and, as he grew older, engaged in labor such as hauling and selling charcoal. Later, he moved to Taiyuan to make a living and met Yan Xishan and Huang Guoliang at his clansman Zhang Xintu’s small shop. The three shared mutual respect and aspirations, and thus became sworn brothers.

In the twenty-ninth year of the Guangxu reign (1903)... Detailed information about Zhang Yu++

Nanru Village: Nanru Village is located 0.5 kilometers south of the Changyuan Line of the Xinzhou-Taiyuan Tourist Road and 0.5 kilometers from the township government, offering convenient transportation. The village has an average temperature of 6.5°C, a frost-free period of about 110 days, annual sunshine duration of 2,700 hours, accumulated temperature above 10°C of 274 hours, and average annual rainfall of 400–500 mm. The climate is mild, and the main crops include corn, yams, and miscellaneous grains. The total area of the village is 15,000 mu, with 4,346 mu of arable land, 5,282 mu of forested land, a total population of 2,740, and over 600 male and female laborers. ... Detailed information about Nanru Village++