Xingyi Liu Family Manor

　　The Liu Family Manor is situated in Xiawutun, approximately 4 li (2 kilometers) south of Xingyi City. It was the birthplace of Liu Xianshi, former Governor of Guizhou Province, and Liu Xianqian, former Supervisor of Border Affairs in Yunnan-Guizhou. The manor consists of 13 courtyard complexes that blend Chinese and Western architectural styles, including one Hall of Loyalty and Righteousness, one flower hall, one ancestral hall, and one study room, all grand and magnificent in scale. To this day, the main structures largely retain their original appearance. The original ancestral hall now houses the Guizhou Minority Marriage Customs Museum.

　　The Liu Family Manor was first built during the Jiaqing era of the Qing Dynasty and began to take shape during the Xianfeng and Tongzhi periods. As the Liu family grew and prospered, the buildings were continuously expanded. By the Republican era, large-scale construction further enlarged the estate, making it the largest private manor in the province. The surviving structures include the Hall of Loyalty and Righteousness, the flower hall, the study room, Liu Xianqian’s living quarters, the family temple, the military training ground, as well as one each of partial city walls, watchtowers, and a French-style building.

　　The Liu Family Manor is majestic in scale, with the main structures largely retaining their original appearance.

　　In June 1983, the Xingyi County People’s Government designated the Liu Family Manor as a county-level cultural relics protection unit.

　　In November 1985, the Guizhou Provincial People’s Government listed it as a provincial-level cultural relics protection unit.

　　In 1988, the national government allocated 350,000 yuan for the renovation of the Liu Family Ancestral Hall. In October 1989, the “Guizhou Minority Marriage Customs Museum” was established within the manor, which is the only museum of its kind in China dedicated to minority marriage customs.

　　In March 1990, leaders and experts from the National Cultural Relics Bureau visited Xingyi specifically to inspect the Liu Family Manor. They concluded that the manor is a modern historical structure of high historical, scientific, and artistic value, and that such a well-preserved estate is rare not only in Guizhou but also across China.

　　

　　Liu Xianqian (1865~1938)　　Liu Xianqian (1865–1938) was a native of Xingyi, Guizhou, holding the rank of Lieutenant General in the Army and serving as Commander-in-Chief of the Guizhou Guerrilla Forces. Liu Xianqian held various official positions, including Observer of Qianxi, Magistrate of Guidexi, Inspector-General of Guizhou, Commander-in-Chief of the National Protection Army’s Sichuan Support Force, Supervisor of Yunnan-Guizhou Border Defense, and Military Consultant of Guizhou. In these key roles, he led his troops to enact sweeping administrative reforms over several months, swiftly cracking down on banditry, significantly reducing regional and ethnic disputes within his jurisdiction, earning widespread praise. The Beiyang government commended his outstanding local governance achievements by bestowing upon him the title of “Senior Official” and awarding him the Fourth Class Order of the Tiger. After the National Protection War, the Guizhou military was divided into two main forces: the Guizhou Army and the Guizhou Guerrilla Forces. Liu Xianqian... Details +

　　Liu Xianshi (1870~1927)　　Liu Xianshi, a native of Xingyi, Guizhou, courtesy name Ruzhou (also written as Ruzhou), and alias Jingshuo, was born in 1870 in Xingyi, Guizhou. He was the son of Liu Guanli and elder brother of Liu Xianqian. He served as Governor of Guizhou Province and Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Sichuan-Yunnan-Guizhou Tri-Provincial National Protection Allied Forces. In his early years, Liu Xianshi participated in suppressing the Guangxi secret society uprisings. After the Xinhai Revolution, he initially supported the republic but soon turned to endorsing Yuan Shikai’s imperial ambitions. In 1916, persuaded by Wang Wenjun and Wang Boqun, he issued a national telegram to join the National Protection Movement against Yuan, defending the republic. After the founding of the Republic, he served as Military Protector of Guizhou. On January 26, 1916, Liu Xianshi and others organized a mass rally at the former site of the Provincial Assembly to announce Yuan Shikai's... Details +