Hunan Provincial Department of Cultural & Tourism

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Understand Huxiang Culture in ‘Willow Manor’

2022-12-08

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When it comes to celebrities in Hunan, people will quickly think of Zuo Zongtang. He was a politician, militarist, national hero and one of the representatives of the Westernization Group in the late Qing Dynasty. He, together with Zeng Guofan, Li Hongzhang and Zhang Zhidong, were known as “the four famous officials in the late Qing Dynasty”. The year of 2022 marks the 210th anniversary of Zuo Zongtang’s birth.

The Willow Manor is Zuo Zongtang’s former residence, which is located in Liujiachong, Xunshan Village, Zhangshu Town, Xiangyin County, Hunan Province. In 1843, Zuo Zongtang used his savings from teaching to buy 70 mu (about 46,666.67 square meters) of farmland in Liujiachong, and personally designed and built a brick-wood residence with 48 rooms covering an area of 4.29 mu (2,860 square meters).

It was named the “Willow Manor” because of his penchant for willows. During his 14 years in the Willow Manor, he not only studied farming but also extensively studied astronomy, military affairs, history and current affairs. He was well versed in governance and national affairs, which laid a solid foundation for his achievements and fame.

Nowadays, the Willow Manor in Xiangyin County is becoming a new landmark of Huxiang culture. Making use of the name card of “Zuo Gong” and relying on the advantage of cultural brand of the Willow Manor, Xiangyin is accelerating the development and construction of Zuo Zongtang’s Former Residence & Huxiang Culture Expo Park, in an effort to carry forward Huxiang culture represented by Zuo Zongtang.