Yu Qian (1398- 1457), a native of Qiantang (now Hangzhou, Zhejiang), was a famous minister and national hero in the Ming Dynasty. Yongle Jinshi in Ming Dynasty once toured Jiangxi and served as governor of Yujin, with outstanding achievements, and was known as "Yu Qingtian". In the 14th year of Orthodox Church (1449), the invasion of Mongolian Wala led to civil strife, Ming Yingzong was captured, and the Ming Dynasty was in danger.
Yu Qian was appointed as the minister of the Ministry of War, put forward the political proposition that "the country is more important than the monarch", prevented him from moving southward, successfully organized the defense war in Beijing, repelled Valla, increased security and served as the military affairs governor. Yingzong was killed unjustly after being released. Many years later, he was buried in the foothills of Santai Mountain in the West Lake.
Yu Qian's former residence, located at No.42 Ancestral Hall Lane, is a quadrangle with white walls and tiles and Ming Dynasty architectural style. Close friend Zhong Yulong's "Talking about Hangzhou" contains: Ancestral Hall Lane: Taipingfang Lane in the north, Hefang Lane in the south and Taipingfang Lane in Yin Gao Lane in the east. South Street was named in Song Dynasty. Yu Ming Suzhong Gong Qian's house is here.
Later, his house was changed into a shrine of sympathy and loyalty, hence the name of this alley. The former residence was built in the Ming Dynasty and rebuilt in the 22nd year of Qing Qianlong (1757). It was a residential building after reconstruction in Guangxu period, and it was restored to Yu Qian's former residence after reconstruction in 1989. In 2002, Yu Qian's former residence was renovated and opened to the outside world.
The architectural pattern of the former residence is rectangular and divided into three courtyards. In the first yard, there is a poem tablet inscribed by Sha Menghai, a famous calligrapher. Peony is planted under the poem tablet. The main building of the second courtyard is Suzhong Hall (Suzhong is posthumous title of Yu Qian). There is a wall in front of the temple, and there are several buildings on the west side, such as the ancient well, the rectangular stone tablet of Cizhong Hall, and Yu Qian's bedroom.
There is a piano stand in the third courtyard, a fan-shaped semi-pavilion "Sixian Pavilion" stands beside the pool, and a stone tablet depicting Yu Qian is on the wall beside the pool. Yu Qian's stone tablet was carved in Guangxu period of Qing Dynasty. Originally the Yuqian ancestral hall in Santai Mountain, it was moved to the former residence of 1984.
Yu Qian's former residence is now a key cultural relic protection unit in Hangzhou. Together with Yu Qian's ancestral temple and mausoleum in Santai Mountain, it has formed a group of rich cultural landscapes, which comprehensively and vividly reflects the image of Yu Qian, who has been famous for thousands of years.