High on the slopes of Dayan Ancient Town, at No. 10 Upper Huangshan Section of Xinhua Street, stands a preserved courtyard complex where two distinct histories converge. This 1,305-square-meter estate originally belonged to He Gengji, the last imperial jinshi scholar of the Naxi people.

In April 1936, this quiet scholar's retreat, known as the Retreat Garden, became the nerve center for a critical military operation.Commanders He Long and Ren Bishi occupied these rooms, transforming the traditional Naxi courtyard into the temporary headquarters for the Red Army's Second and Sixth Corps. From this wooden-framed residence, they coordinated the movement of more than 18,000 soldiers. Outside, the cold, rushing waters of the Jinsha River presented a formidable barrier. Inside, under the shadow of the tiled eaves, the commanders mapped out a crossing that would save their forces from encirclement.

Human stories remain etched into the fabric of this site. Twenty-eight local boatmen risked their lives in the treacherous currents, including Zhou Changshou, who drowned while rescuing a struggling soldier. At the start of the crossing, He Long struck a ceremonial stone drum with his horse whip, a sharp crack that signaled the march northward.

Today, the 1,733-square-meter building serves as a public museum, restored through an 8.7-million-yuan project. The interior contains 800 square meters of exhibition space divided into six thematic halls, including "Jinsha Shuinuan" and a reconstruction of He Long's headquarters. The museum combines physical relics and historical documents with the modern glow of electronic sandbox maps and interactive digital installations. Designated a cultural relics protection unit in 1988, the site preserves the physical intersection of Naxi scholar life and revolutionary strategy, inviting quiet reflection on the choices made within these timber walls.