He Long's Former Residence (Sangzhi)

Hometown of Marshal He Long (Hongjiaguan), where he 'started a revolution with two kitchen knives'; Sangzhi folk songs (first batch of national intangible cultural heritage). Hongjiaguan in Sangzhi County is the birthplace of Marshal He Long; the former residence is a wooden courtyard compound in Western Hunan domestic style, displaying the Marshal's life and the story of the uprising that 'started a revolution with two kitchen knives'. Beside the residence, He Long Bridge spans the Yuquan River—the bridge the young He Long had to cross coming and going—and the memorial hall houses detailed historical materials. Sangzhi is also a land of folk songs: Sangzhi songs such as 'Masang Shu'er Da Dengtai' (The Coriaria Tree and the Lamp Stand) are on the first batch of the national intangible cultural heritage list, and local folk-song performances are held regularly. The site is free to enter and links up with the He Long statue at Helong Park on Tianzi Mountain—a dedicated trip worthwhile for visitors interested in revolutionary history and folk-song culture.

Getting there: Sangzhi shuttle bus / self-drive