Duan Qirui's Former Government Site

Stepping into the gate of The Renmin University of China's old campus at 3 Zhang Zizhong Road, one encounters the remarkable former principal building of the Army Department of Qing Dynasty. This Western classical-style building faces north-south, featuring a prominent four-story castle-shaped bell tower, surrounded by brick-column galleries. The roof, constructed with triangular trusses and iron sheeting, is a splendid fusion of gray brick facades with ornate Chinese brick carvings.
3 Zhang Zizhong Road in Dongcheng District served as Duan Qirui's Former Government Site and simultaneously, the site of the former site of the Army and Navy Department of Qing Dynasty. During the Qing Dynasty, three mansions existed here: the Prince He's Mansion to the east, the Prince Gong's Mansion in the middle, and Princess Hejing's Mansion to the west. In 1907, the buildings within the east and middle mansions were demolished and replaced by three groups of brick-and-wood structures: the main building in the middle adopted a European classical-style gray brick building, while each east, west, and north side housed one building for the Army and Navy Department of Qing Dynasty.