The original appearance of Li Hongzhang's former residence was built after Li's ancestors moved from Jiangxi to Hefei. It took several generations to take shape, but it was burned by Chen Yucheng, the general of Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. After the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Movement was suppressed, Li Hongzhang, who was in power in the ruling and opposition parties, began to buy land in Hefei and rebuild the Li family ancestral home, which is now the former residence of Li Hongzhang.
The former residence covers an area of about 3500 square meters and is divided into two parts. The first half is Li House, and the second half is Huaige, which is a typical residential building favored by literati.
Li Fu is divided into main hall, front hall, middle hall and Zoumalou from south to north. The most famous object in the whole Li Mansion is a plaque hanging in the lobby, which reads "Jun Hu" in four Chinese characters. It was inscribed by Emperor Guangxu personally in recognition of Li Hongzhang's loyalty to the Great Qing Dynasty. This is a kind of glory that is hard to find in the world.
In 1950s, the former residence was nationalized, and some of it was also transformed into a department store for commercial activities. It was not until 1999 that Li Hongzhang's former residence was reopened.
Nowadays, the former residence displayed in front of us is not only a weather-beaten building, but also a heavy sense of history because of Li Hongzhang, a great official in the late Qing Dynasty. Being in the former residence, the vicissitudes of history are coming to us, reminding people in peacetime not to forget the humiliation and regret that have passed.