Helong Former Residence in Zhangjiajie

Helong Former Residence in Zhangjiajie

The Helong Former Residence (贺龙故居) is located in Hongjiaguan Village (洪家关村), Sangzhi County (桑植县), Zhangjiajie City (张家界市), Hunan Province (湖南省). It is an ancient architectural relic from the Qing Dynasty (清朝).

Originally built by Helong’s grandfather, He Liangshi (贺良仕) during the Daoguang period (道光年间) of the Qing Dynasty, the residence was restored by the Sangzhi County Government (桑植县政府) in 1975, maintaining its original appearance. The residence is a typical wood-framed, tile-roofed house commonly seen in western Hunan, facing south with a simple yet historical design.

The house has four bays and three rooms. Helong (贺龙) was born here and spent his childhood and teenage years within these humble walls. The central hall serves as the main room, with a plaque above the entrance reading “Helong Former Residence” (贺龙故居), inscribed by Deng Xiaoping (邓小平) in golden characters on a red background.

Inside the hall, there is a bronze bust of Marshal Helong (贺龙元帅) in military uniform. The back room behind the central hall was the bedroom of Helong’s sisters. To the left of the hall is the Fire Pit Room (火坑屋), where Helong once gathered with 20 comrades in 1916 to plan the attack on the Bamaoxi Salt Tax Bureau (芭茅溪盐税局).

To the right of the hall is the kitchen (厨房), while the rear section was the bedroom shared by Helong and his younger brother He Wenzhang (贺文掌). The right-side building housed the mule and horse stable (骡马房), a reflection of Helong’s teenage years when he worked as a muleteer to make a living.

The residence exhibits a range of historical artifacts, with 185 photographs of Helong taken during various periods and over 50 relics, including the saddle, whip, and bamboo hat he once used.

Historical Evolution

Qing Dynasty – Daoguang period (清道光年间): Built by Helong’s grandfather, He Liangshi (贺良仕).
1916: In the Fire Pit Room (火坑屋), Helong gathered with 20 comrades to discuss plans for the Bamaoxi Salt Tax Bureau attack (芭茅溪盐税局).
1919: The residence was burned down by the reactionary “Shenbing” forces (神兵). It was later rebuilt by Helong’s father.
1925: The residence was expanded into a courtyard house (四合院).
1929: The house was demolished by local reactionary forces led by Chen Cexun (陈策勋), leaving only the trough gate and a broken wall.
Cultural Revolution (文化大革命): Helong was wrongfully persecuted, and the remaining wall was destroyed, with the site flattened into a rice paddy field.
1975: The Sangzhi County Government (桑植县政府) restored the house to its original design.

Architectural Layout

The Helong Former Residence (贺龙故居) is a south-facing, four-bay, three-room wooden structure typical of western Hunan.

Central Hall (堂屋): Contains the bronze bust of Marshal Helong (贺龙元帅半身铜像). The plaque reading “Helong Former Residence” (贺龙故居) was personally inscribed by Deng Xiaoping (邓小平).
Fire Pit Room (火坑屋): Located in the left front section, this room was used for heating in winter and served as a meeting place for revolutionary discussions.
Parents’ Bedroom (贺龙父母亲卧室): Behind the Fire Pit Room, where Helong’s parents slept.
Sisters’ Bedroom (贺龙姐姐和妹妹卧室): Situated behind the central hall.
Kitchen (厨房): To the right of the central hall.
Helong and Brother’s Bedroom (贺龙和弟弟贺文掌卧室): Behind the kitchen.
Mule and Horse Stable (骡马房): On the right side of the house, where Helong kept mules and horses during his teenage years working as a muleteer.

The bedrooms are furnished with period items such as wooden beds, bedding, mosquito nets, wooden chests, desks, chairs, and everyday objects like sewing baskets and laundry sticks, preserving the authenticity of Helong’s early life.

Cultural Significance

The Helong Former Residence (贺龙故居) is a crucial revolutionary site, symbolizing the spirit of Marshal Helong (贺龙). It provides valuable physical evidence for studying the revolutionary history of Sangzhi County (桑植县).

In 2006, it was officially recognized as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit (全国重点文物保护单位) by the State Council of the People’s Republic of China (中华人民共和国国务院).

Key Information

Chinese Name: 贺龙故居
Location: Hongjiaguan Village (洪家关村), Sangzhi County (桑植县), Zhangjiajie City (张家界市), Hunan Province (湖南省)
Era: Qing Dynasty (清朝)
Protection Level: National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit (全国重点文物保护单位)
Approval Authority: State Council of the People’s Republic of China (中华人民共和国国务院)

The residence was originally built by Helong’s grandfather, He Liangshi (贺良仕), during the Daoguang era (道光年间). In 1975, the Sangzhi County Government (桑植县政府) restored the residence according to its original design.

Helong was born and spent his childhood and teenage years in this house. The residence follows a typical Western Hunan wooden frame structure with gray-tiled roofs, facing south, consisting of four doors and three rooms. The central room serves as the main hall (堂屋), with a plaque above the door inscribed with the words “Helong Former Residence” (贺龙故居) written by Deng Xiaoping (邓小平).

In 2006, the State Council of the People’s Republic of China (中华人民共和国国务院) listed the Helong Former Residence as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit (全国重点文物保护单位).

Historical Background

Helong’s Life and Revolutionary Journey

Helong (贺龙) (1896–1969) was a proletarian revolutionary and military strategist, one of the founding fathers of the People’s Liberation Army of China (中国人民解放军), and a Marshal of the People’s Republic of China (中华人民共和国元帅). His birth name was Wenchang (文常), styled Yunqing (云卿), and he hailed from Sangzhi County (桑植县), Hunan Province.

In August 1927 (民国十六年), Helong led the Nanchang Uprising (南昌起义) as the commander-in-chief of the insurgent forces and later joined the Communist Party of China (中国共产党).
In March 1928 (民国十七年), he returned to his hometown, collaborating with Zhou Yiqun (周逸群) to launch the Sangzhi Uprising (桑植起义), and subsequently established revolutionary bases in Hunan, Hubei, Sichuan, and Guizhou (湘鄂川黔革命根据地).
Helong held numerous key military positions, including Commander of the Red Second Front Army (红二方面军总指挥), Commander of the 120th Division of the Eighth Route Army (八路军一二〇师师长), and Commander of the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia-Jin-Sui United Defense Army (陕甘宁晋绥联防军司令员).
After the founding of the People’s Republic of China (中华人民共和国), he served as Commander of the Southwest Military Region (西南军区司令员), Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission (中央军委副主席), Vice Premier of the State Council (国务院副总理), Director of the National Sports Commission (国家体委主任), and Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee (中共中央政治局委员).

Architecture and Layout

The Helong Former Residence (贺龙故居) is a Western Hunan-style wooden frame house with gray-tiled roofs, consisting of four doors and three rooms.

The Main Hall (堂屋): The central room features a red and gold plaque inscribed with “Helong Former Residence” (贺龙故居), written by Deng Xiaoping (邓小平). A bronze bust of Marshal Helong in military uniform is placed in the hall.
Retreat Room (退房): Behind the main hall is a room used as the bedroom for Helong’s sisters.
Fire Pit Room (火坑屋): The left front room contains a traditional fire pit, used for heating in winter. This room is historically significant, as Helong once gathered 20 people here in 1916 (民国五年) to plan an attack on the Bamaoxi Salt Tax Bureau (芭茅溪盐税局).
Parents’ Bedroom (父母亲的卧室): Located behind the fire pit room.
Kitchen (厨房): The right front room serves as the kitchen.
Helong and His Brother’s Bedroom (贺龙和贺文掌的卧室): Behind the kitchen is the bedroom shared by Helong and his younger brother, He Wenzhang (贺文掌).

The residence also includes a Mule and Horse Stable (骡马房) on the right side. As a teenager, Helong once worked as a muleteer, raising mules and horses in this stable.

Cultural Relics and Exhibitions

Display of Cultural Relics

The Helong Former Residence (贺龙故居) exhibits 185 photographs of Helong from different periods of his life and over 50 artifacts, including his saddle (马鞍), whip (马鞭), and bamboo hat (斗笠) used during the revolutionary era.

Helong Memorial Hall

The Helong Memorial Hall (贺龙纪念馆) is situated opposite the former residence at Majing Tower (马颈塔). With a building area of 2,080 square meters, it is a quadrangle courtyard-style structure combining modern materials with traditional craftsmanship and ethnic design.

The memorial hall contains eight exhibition rooms showcasing:

Revolution with Two Kitchen Knives (两把菜刀闹革命)
Nanchang Uprising (南昌起义)
Establishment of Revolutionary Bases (创建革命根据地)
War of Resistance Against Japan (抗日战争)
War of Liberation (解放战争)
Foundations of National Sports (国家体育事业奠基者)
Key Military Leadership (国家军队重要领导人)
Helong Lives Forever in People’s Hearts (贺龙同志永远活在人民心中)
Ideological Education for Primary and Secondary Students (中小学生思想教育展厅)

Historical and Cultural Significance

The Helong Former Residence (贺龙故居) embodies the Helong spirit and serves as an important revolutionary memorial site. It provides crucial material evidence for studying the history of the Sangzhi Red Revolution (桑植红色革命).

Protection and Recognition

In November 2005 (2005年11月), the Helong Former Residence (贺龙故居) was designated as a National Patriotic Education Demonstration Base (全国爱国主义教育示范基地).
In May 2006 (2006年5月), it was officially listed as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit (全国重点文物保护单位) by the State Council of the People’s Republic of China (中华人民共和国国务院).
In February 2023 (2023年2月), it was recognized as a United Front Education Base of Hunan Province (湖南省统一战线教育基地).

Travel Information

Location

Address: Helong Former Residence, Hongjiaguan Bai Ethnic Township (洪家关白族乡), Hongjiaguan Village (洪家关村), Hongjiaguan Tourist Area (洪家关旅游区), Sangzhi County (桑植县), Zhangjiajie City (张家界市), Hunan Province (湖南省)

Transportation

Self-driving: From Sangzhi County People’s Government (桑植县人民政府) to Helong Former Residence (贺龙故居) — approximately 17.3 km (around 32 minutes by car)