Former Residence of Cai E in Beijing

It consists of a front and a rear courtyard, with the houses connected by corridors. The site has largely retained its original appearance. Cai E lived here from the 2nd to the 4th year of the Republic of China (November 1913 to November 1915). The west room of the front courtyard served as the main gate and three side rooms, with three rooms each for the north and south wings. The front and rear courtyards are separated by a corridor wall, and the rear courtyard contains three rooms each for the north, south, and east sides. The overall layout deviates significantly from the traditional design of old Beijing courtyard homes, and both the construction materials and workmanship appear rather modest—even the principal rooms were not built on a raised stone platform of three steps, but instead erected directly on the ground, giving an impression of simplicity. The additional wing rooms were all built later and originally served as parking and stabling areas. Cai E held the military rank of General and the official post of Director-General of the Frontier Defense Bureau. His horse and carriage were part of his official entitlements, provided by the government.

Cai E (1882–1916)    Cai E (1882–1916) Governor of the Yunnan Military Government, Commander-in-Chief of the First Army of the Anti-Yuan Protection Movement, and General. A native of Shaoyang County, Hunan Province (now Daxiang District, Shaoyang City), with the courtesy name Songpo. He was born on December 18, 1882, into a poor farming family in Qinmu Township, Shaoyang County. At the age of 5, he moved with his parents to Shanmen, Xiangyang County. He began attending private school at age 6. By age 10, he had completed the “Four Books” and “Five Classics” and was capable of writing fluent essays, earning him the reputation of a “child prodigy.” At 13, he took the imperial examinations in history and literature, achieving excellent results and earning the title of Xiucai (a successful candidate in the imperial civil service examination at the county level). At 15, he was admitted to the Hunan Times School. His examination papers were once published in the Xiang Bao newspaper and were highly praised by his teacher, Liang Qichao.