Former Residence of Liu Pingkai in Yiliang county, Zhaotong

Location and Structure

The Former Residence of Liu Pingkai is situated at No. 11, East Zheng Street, Yiliang County. Built in the 18th year of the Guangxu era (1902) by Liu’s father, the residence covers approximately 2,000 square meters, with a building area of over 400 square meters. The complex consists of two main buildings, a courtyard, and a garden. Both buildings are constructed of wood and stone, with a width of 12 meters and a depth of 7 meters, featuring a single eaves and a gabled roof. The structure is oriented north to south, with the southern facade facing the street. After 1950, the residence was repurposed and, following various changes, only the ruins remain today.

On October 22, 1986, the Yiliang County People’s Government designated the residence as a “First Batch of County-Level Cultural Relics Protection Units.”

Biography of Liu Pingkai

Early Life

Liu Pingkai was born in October 1902 in the Wumeng Mountains of Yiliang County, Yunnan Province. In 1919, he participated in the patriotic student movement supporting the May Fourth Movement in Kunming, becoming an active participant and organizer.

Personal Achievements

• 1922-1923: Liu moved to Beijing, where he was influenced by revolutionary pioneers such as Li Dazhao and Deng Zhongxia. He began studying Marxist-Leninist literature and engaged in anti-imperialist patriotic struggles. Liu joined the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in 1923. He was involved in the workers’ strike on the Jinghan Railway and worked on propaganda in Changxin Village.
• 1924-1927: Liu was dispatched to Xinyang, Henan,

where he worked on labor movements and party organization, eventually becoming the secretary of the Xinyang Local Executive Committee and a standing member of the CCP’s Yuxian District Executive Committee. His efforts helped make Xinyang one of the early areas for peasant movements.

• 1927: After the failure of the Great Revolution and the onset of severe white terror, Liu was appointed as the secretary of the CCP’s Nanjing Municipal Committee. Despite the grave risks, he fought resolutely against the enemy and was later reassigned to serve as the secretary of the Shanghai Huo Dong District Committee and the Zhabei District Committee.
• 1928: Liu was appointed by the Central Committee as the secretary of the CCP’s Hubei Temporary Provincial Committee to restore the Hubei Party organization, which had been devastated by the enemy. His decisive measures helped mitigate further losses and facilitated the gradual recovery of the organization. By the end of 1928, Liu, along with fellow comrades, was dispatched to Northeast China to help establish the CCP’s Manchuria Temporary Provincial Committee, where he served as the Provincial Secretary and Military Committee Secretary, and later as a member and acting secretary of the Fourth Manchuria Provincial Committee.

• 1929-1930: Liu returned to Yunnan in autumn 1929 and became a member of the Yunnan Provincial Committee and Minister of Organization in spring 1930. While the provincial secretary was working in southern Yunnan, Liu managed the daily operations of the Provincial Committee. On May 5, 1930, during a major search by the enemy, Liu was arrested while trying to protect confidential documents and arrange the evacuation of related personnel. Despite offers of high-ranking positions and severe torture, Liu remained unyielding, expressing his resolve with the words: “A true man fears not death. Why should I fear it? It would be an honor to be remembered as a martyr.” Liu Pingkai was executed on July 26, 1930, at the age of 28.

Liu Pingkai’s life and dedication remain a significant part of the revolutionary history in China.