General's Office

The General's Office, located at the northwest corner of the Drum Tower Overpass on Xinhua Street in Hohhot, was built between the second (1737) and fourth (1739) years of the Qianlong reign during the Qing Dynasty. It is one of the main structures of the Suiyuan City from the Qing era. As a site listed in the sixth batch of Major National Historical and Cultural Sites, a Grade II museum, and a AAA-level tourist attraction, the General's Office attracts numerous visitors every day..

The General's Office served as the workplace and residence of the Suiyuan General during the Qing Dynasty. The Suiyuan General was the highest military and administrative official appointed by the Qing court for the northern frontier, holding the rank of First Class. He not only commanded the Eight Banners troops in Suiyuan but also oversaw garrisons in areas such as Datong and Xuanhua, and administratively governed the entire Southern Mongolia region. From the establishment of the Suiyuan General’s Office until the fall of the Qing government 175 years later, a total of 75 Suiyuan Generals served here. During the Beiyang warlord period in 1912, the office was converted into a General’s Mansion. After 1928, it became the site of the Nationalist Government’s Suiyuan Provincial Government, where Fu Zuoyi and Dong Qiwu had their offices.

The main structure of the General's Office faces south and is divided into eastern, central, and western sections. The central section consists of five courtyards arranged from south to north: a straight screen wall, the main gate, the ceremonial gate, the main hall, the second hall, the third hall, and the fourth hall. These buildings formed the core of military and political affairs in Suiyuan City, now displaying a restored exhibition of the Qing-era Suiyuan City General’s Office. Their architectural functions strictly follow the “front court and rear quarters” layout befitting a First Class official’s yamen. Centered along the main axis with auxiliary side rooms and wing rooms, the site largely retains the original architectural characteristics of an official yamen from the Qing Dynasty.

Outside the main gate of the General's Office stands a straight screen wall, 24 meters long and 4 meters high, constructed from large blue bricks. At the top of the screen wall is an inscribed plaque bearing the four characters 屏藩朔漠 (Screen and Fence for the Northern Desert), personally written in the 16th year of the Guangxu reign (1890) by the 71st Suiyuan General, Kemin’e, symbolizing the role of defending the northern frontier like a shield or barrier. The main hall is the highest-ranking and largest building in the complex, also the best preserved, used only for significant events. The second hall was where the General handled daily official duties. The third and fourth halls originally served as the General’s private residence but were destroyed by fire in the 13th year of the Republic of China (1924) and subsequently rebuilt. The reconstructed buildings differ somewhat in layout, now featuring restored spaces such as the General’s study, living room, and bedroom, complemented by finely displayed household items that recreate the living environment of the time.

Over nearly 300 years of history, the General's Office has changed hands several times but has consistently served as the military and political center of the Suiyuan region. From the 2nd year of the Qianlong reign (1737) to the 3rd year of the Xuantong reign (1911)—a span of 174 years—it functioned as the office and residence of the Suiyuan General, with 79 generals serving here. During the Republican era, it became the political center of the Nationalist Government in Suiyuan, with 18 individuals serving in 20 terms under various titles such as Military Governor and Suiyuan Provincial Chairman. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, both the People’s Government of Suiyuan Province and the People’s Government of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region had offices here. Through nearly three centuries of historical change, this cultural heritage site—bearing the rich civilization of Hohhot—has become an important base for promoting outstanding traditional Chinese culture and providing patriotic education.