In 1937, General Li Hongmo built a private sanctuary at the intersection of Beijing Road and Shangyi Street. He was a traditional Chinese military officer who frequently traveled to French-governed Hanoi. Captivated by European design, he hired one Chinese and one French architect to realize his vision. They sourced timber from Hekou, transporting it via the Yunnan-Vietnam Railway to construct a two-story, 523-square-meter residence.

The exterior walls consist of rough, unevenly hewn green flagstones. These coarse stones stand in quiet dialogue with the smooth, green glazed tiles of the traditional Chinese hip-and-gable roof. Under the eaves, double-stepped bracket sets and hanging pillars showcase classical Chinese craftsmanship, while traditional chiwen ridge ornaments guard the roofline. Below, French-style stone-arched glass windows and triangular pediments invite the afternoon sun. Exactly seven stone steps, flanked by two carved stone flower vases, lead to the entrance, where a century-old iron tree stands watch.

Inside, the mansion functioned as a high-society crossroads. Guests walked past a landscaped garden, a fountain, and a tennis court. In the kitchen, a Chinese chef and a Vietnamese chef prepared banquets, serving French pastries alongside local Yunnanese delicacies. The house welcomed diverse historical figures, including Chiang Kai-shek, Soong Mei-ling, General Claire Lee Chennault, and the scholar Mei Yiqi.

By 1949, the mansion became a cradle for political transition. Under the guise of social recreation and card games, Yunnanese officials gathered secretly in these rooms to plan the peaceful uprising of Yunnan. Following the transition, General Lu Han hosted a welcoming banquet here in February 1950 for People's Liberation Army generals Chen Geng and Song Renqiong.

The building transitioned into public service after 1951, housing the Kunming Municipal People's Government and serving as the residence of Mayor Pan Shuoduan. Today, preserved within Camellia Park, the stone walls still carry the scent of nearby sweet olive trees. The structure remains a physical record of a family, a city, and a nation in transition.