Site of the Former Post Office in Hekou County, Honghe
Overview
Chinese Name: 河口邮政局旧址 (Hekou Youzhengju Jiu Zhi)
Location: Erbao, Hekou Ancient Street (二堡, 河口明清古街), Hekou Yao Autonomous County (河口瑶族自治县), Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture (红河哈尼族彝族自治州), Yunnan Province (云南省), China
The Site of the Former Post Office in Hekou is a century-old building marked by two stone plaques inscribed with “邮政局” (Post Office) and “电报局” (Telegraph Office) in traditional Chinese characters. These plaques, though weathered, reflect the historical significance of this site, which is the only remaining post and telegraph office from the Qing Dynasty (清朝) in Jiangxi Province (江西省), having stood for nearly 120 years.
Historical Significance
Early Postal Services
In the Ming (明) and Qing (清) dynasties, Qianshan (铅山) had four relay stations (驿站), dozens of relay soldiers (驿兵), and several relay horses (驿马). The four relay stations included:
- Ehu Station (鹅湖驿)
- Zixi Station (紫溪驿)
- Chepan Station (车盘驿)
- Yunji Station (云霁驿)
Qianshan also established 16 postal relay offices (递铺), primarily serving military and governmental correspondence. These relay offices continued until the end of the Qing Dynasty. In the 22nd year of the Guangxu era (光绪二十二年, 1896), with the establishment of the Qing Postal Service (大清邮政), they gradually ceased operations.
Establishment of Hekou Post Office
The first post office in Hekou was established in the 27th year of the Guangxu era (光绪二十七年, 1904), almost 120 years ago. Prior to this, in the 14th year of the Guangxu era (光绪十四年, 1888), the Senchang Civilian Postal Bureau (森昌民信局) in Nanchang (南昌) had set up two branches in Hekou. These branches handled civilian mail and provided services for the government until they were abolished in the early Republic of China (民国) period.
Initially, the Hekou Post Office was classified as a third-class office (三等局) under the dual management of the Jiujiang Postal General Office (九江邮政总局) and the Jiangxi Provincial Postal Bureau (江西省邮政局). In the 30th year of the Guangxu era (光绪三十年, 1907), the Qianshan Postal Agency (铅山邮政代办所) was established in Yongping Town (永平镇) under the Hekou Post Office.
Upgrades and Development
In the 6th year of the Republic of China (民国六年, 1917), the Hekou Post Office was upgraded to a second-class office (二等局), and the Qianshan Postal Agency also elevated to a third-class post office. Under these two offices were eight postal agencies:
- Yangcun (杨村)
- Chenfang (陈坊)
- Shitang (石塘)
- Shixi (石溪)
- Ehu (鹅湖)
- Zixi (紫溪)
- Chepan (车盘)
- Gangdong (港东)
The Hekou Post Office eventually managed several postal agencies from neighboring towns.
Telecommunications Development
As communication technology advanced, telegraphy emerged. In the 32nd year of the Guangxu era (光绪三十二年, 1909), a telegraph branch was established in Hekou. This branch was upgraded to a telegraph office in the 7th year of the Republic of China (民国七年, 1918), located within the Hekou Post Office. This explains the presence of two plaques on the building.
Before the War of Resistance (抗战), the Hekou Telegraph Office expanded its service routes and began offering long-distance telephone services in the 19th year of the Republic of China (民国十九年, 1930).
How to Get There
Transportation Options
- By Bus: Buses are available from major cities like Kunming (昆明) to Hekou (河口). Upon arrival, taxis and local transport can take you to the Old Post Office site.
- By Car: Driving from Kunming (昆明) to Hekou (河口) via G320 National Highway (G320国道) offers scenic views.
Travel Tips
- Best Time to Visit: The optimal visiting period is from October (10月) to April (4月) when the weather is pleasant.
- Explore Nearby Attractions: Take the opportunity to visit other historical sites in Hekou, including local markets and cultural spots.
- Respect the Heritage: Be mindful of the historical significance of the site and avoid actions that could damage the building.
