Chen Dounan Ancient Residence

　　The Chen Dounan Residence in Fenghuang Ancient Town was constructed in the 28th year of the Guangxu reign during the Qing Dynasty (1902). It is situated at No. 1 Wujia Lane within the ancient town, nestled between the East Gate Tower and the Yang Family Ancestral Hall. Covering an area of 366.6 square meters, the residence consists of a front section, a central courtyard, a main hall, and a rear section. It features a traditional four-sided courtyard layout with corridors and water collection design. The high and tightly enclosed firewalls all around exemplify the classic Jiangnan-style quadrangle.

　　 The residence served as a general’s mansion during the Republican era. The Chen family produced two Major Generals in the National Revolutionary Army: General Chen Dounan (1886–1931), who worked closely with He Long as colleagues in the Western Hunan Patrol Forces between 1924 and 1925. In 1926, he participated in the Second Northern Expedition. In 1928, after He Long's revolutionary efforts in southern Hubei and northern Hunan faced setbacks, Chen Dounan was dispatched by Chen Qizhen to support He Long’s revolutionary forces. He passed away in 1931 from severe mouth ulcers at Hankou Hospital despite emergency treatment. General Chen Fan (1909–1943), Chen Dounan’s nephew, led troops in the War of Resistance against Japan in 1937, notably fighting in the bloody Battle of Jiashan. In 2005, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China awarded him a commemorative medal and certificate for the 60th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. Chen Dounan Residence

　　The clay sculpture of the Chen ancestors is the masterpiece and final work of Master Zhang Qiutan, a descendant of the famed Clay Figurine Zhang. It has been praised by experts and scholars as a national and even world-class fine art piece of clay sculpture.

　　Moreover, the Chen Dounan Residence has served as an interior filming location for more than ten well-known films and TV dramas, including “The Taking of Tiger Mountain,” “Bloodshed in Western Hunan,” “Father’s War,” “Soldiers,” “Rescuing Sergeant Zhituohui,” “The Last Miao King,” “I Want to Fly,” and “Tales of Western Hunan.”