Site of the Former Custom in Hekou County, Honghe

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The Former Site of Hekou Customs (河口海关旧址) is located in Hekou County (河口县), Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture (红河哈尼族彝族自治州), Yunnan Province (云南省). Built in the 23rd year of Emperor Guangxu’s reign in the Qing Dynasty (1897), it is an important historical relic of modern Chinese customs. In 1998, it was listed as a Yunnan Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Unit. The existing building features French architectural style and is now used as the Hekou Uprising Memorial Hall (河口起义纪念馆), offering significant value for the study of modern Chinese history. In 2020, restoration work was carried out to return the site to its original appearance after issues of unauthorized occupation were resolved.

Historical Development

The Former Site of Hekou Customs was constructed in 1897 after the Sino-French War, serving as a key customs office in the late Qing Dynasty. In 1998, the Yunnan Provincial People’s Government designated it as part of the fifth batch of provincial-level cultural relic protection units. Today, the site functions as the Hekou Uprising Memorial Hall, commemorating important revolutionary events in modern Chinese history.

Architectural Features

The building, completed in 1897, is one of the best-preserved examples of French-style architecture in the region. Its design and layout embody the cultural and political influences of the late Qing era, while also holding high research value for the study of modern Chinese history.

Conservation Status

In March 2020, the Hekou County People’s Procuratorate discovered that part of the corridor in the former customs building had been occupied by a restaurant as a back kitchen, posing safety hazards and resulting in missing cultural relic records. Joint action by the procuratorate and related departments in May 2020 led to the clearance of the occupied space and reinforced preservation measures. By August 2020, the site’s original appearance was restored, and the exhibited artifacts were properly protected. This case demonstrated the role of public interest litigation in promoting stronger cooperation between administrative bodies for cultural heritage protection.

Historical Value

As a tangible witness to the history of modern Chinese customs and Sino-French relations, the Former Site of Hekou Customs provides important evidence for the study of border trade and colonial influence. Its architectural form and functional evolution reflect the historical changes of border trade ports in Yunnan during the late Qing Dynasty.