Former Residence of Chen Keyu

Former Residence of Chen Keyu

The former residence of Chen Keyu is a cultural relic protection unit of Guangdong Province and a patriotic education base.

The former residence of Chen Keyu is located on Xinmin Street, Shitan Town, Qingxin County, Guangdong Province. It was built in the 21st year of the Republic of China (1933) and consists of a library pavilion, the Jingyuan Library, and family living quarters. The Jingyuan Library covers an area of 76.4 square meters and is a single-story building. Later, a two-story library pavilion was built to the right of the Jingyuan Library, containing a reading room, office, bedroom, guard room, and basement. A surrounding hillside pavilion and family living quarters were added in the backyard of the Jingyuan Library, covering a total area of 500 square meters.

During the National Revolutionary period, General Chen Keyu served as the commander of the Presidential Bodyguard Regiment at Sun Yat-sen’s headquarters, deputy commander and acting commander of the Fourth Army of the National Revolutionary Army, and director of the Guangdong Provincial Military Affairs Bureau, among other positions.

The “Jingyuan Library” was initiated and funded by Mr. Chen Jitang in the 22nd year of the Republic of China (1933) and established in Baishitan, the hometown of General Chen Keyu, to honor his merits and virtues. In the front courtyard of the library, semi-circular small pavilions were built along the east and west walls, with the west pavilion inlaid with a stone-carved inscription commemorating the founding of the library. In 1937, when the full-scale Anti-Japanese War broke out, Chen Keyu moved from “Sanjiacun” in Ershatou, Guangzhou, back to live in the Jingyuan Library in Shitan. In 1938, General Chen Keyu built a two-story “library pavilion” to the left of the Jingyuan Library, which included a reading room, office, bedroom, guard room, and basement. In 1942, when Japanese invaders entered Qingyuan, Chen Keyu, who cared deeply about education, donated the entire library, library pavilion, and family quarters to Qingyuan Middle School for temporary use as school buildings, while he and his family retreated to Baiwan. In 1943, when Qingyuan Middle School moved back to Qingyuan city, Chen Keyu returned from Baiwan to the Jingyuan Library to recuperate. On October 14, 1944, Chen Keyu passed away at the Jingyuan Library. In 1949, when Shitan was liberated, the People’s Liberation Army took over the Jingyuan Library, library pavilion, and family quarters, using them as office space for the Shitan Township People’s Government. During that period, the Jingyuan Library, library pavilion, and family quarters were damaged, decorative ridge beasts were removed, and underground ponds, stone bridges, and rockeries were submerged due to years of flooding.

In 1995, the Qingxin County government listed the General Chen Keyu Memorial Hall and Monument as part of the first batch of county-level cultural relic protection units.

It also designated protective zones and construction control areas. In 2002, the provincial government listed the former residence of Chen Keyu as a provincial-level cultural relic protection unit.

In November 2004, the Qingyuan Municipal Finance Department allocated an additional 90,000 yuan in one-time funding for the protection of provincial-level key cultural relics. From December 7, 2004, to January 30, 2005, renovation work on the former residence of Chen Keyu was carried out, with a total project cost of 130,000 yuan. Today, the newly renovated former residence of Chen Keyu has become an important patriotic education base in Qingxin County.

Shitan Town: Shitan Town is located in the northern part of Qingxin County, with a total population of over 80,000 and a total area of 299.3 square kilometers. It governs 22 village (neighborhood) committees and 388 natural villages. The town center is 60 kilometers from the county seat, 68 kilometers from the city center, and 54 kilometers from Yangshan City. It borders Jiulong and Mingjing towns of Yingde to the east, neighbors Jintan Town of the same county to the south and west, and extends to Dibu and Qigong towns of Yangshan County to the north. Located at the junction of Yingde, Qingxin, and Yangshan, it is traversed by National Highway 107 and S114, offering very convenient transportation. The town enjoys a mild climate, typical of the subtropical climate type.

… More details about Shitan Town ++

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of Guangdong Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units