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Lakeside homes of major figures open to public
By Shi Xiaohan |
October 11, 2011, Tuesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
LIN Chengzhi, a 73-year-old retiree has developed a new daily routine after morning exercise near West Lake: he reads in the study of Ma Yifu's former residence. Ma Yifu (1883-1967), was a renowned scholar and calligraphy master, who lived in the building for 17 years from 1950 to 1967.
"Reading in here feels different from reading anywhere else," says Lin. "It's special because of the view of the lake, the feel of the breeze and knowing that I'm reading where the master used to read."
The study on the second floor of an old villa was opened to the public for the first time on September 29. The building in Huagang Park on Su Causeway on West Lake is now the Ma Yifu Memorial Hall. Exhibitions about Ma's life, a selection of his books and calligraphy masterpieces are on show on the first floor.
The villa was built by Jiang Su'an, a business tycoon and book collector from Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, for his mother to enjoy in her later years. It combines both Western and Chinese elements and used concrete as a building material, which was unusual at the time. The building created a stir for its uniqueness. In 1950, when Jiang learned that Ma Yifu was looking for a place to house his book collection, Jiang invited Ma to live in the villa.
Ma Yifu Memorial Hall
Address: Huagang Park, near entrance on Su Causeway
Hours: 9:30am-5:30pm
Since West Lake has been a scenic attraction throughout history, it's no wonder that renowned figures such as Ma Yifu favored it for a tranquil retreat.
Today other former residences along the lake have been opened to the public, creating yet other attractions.
Here are some historical figures who lived near the lake and whose homes are open to the public.
Yu Yue (1821-1907)
Yu Yue, a renowned scholar in the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) also found West Lake a perfect place for a library. Yu taught in the building for more than 30 years between 1862 and 1908. Unlike Ma Yifu's Memorial Hall with a limited selection of books, Yu's home contains an enormous collection in glass cases. It is also a museum.
Address: 32 Gushan Rd
Hours: 10am-2pm
Silas Aaron Hardoon (1851-1931)
Around a kilometer from the Yu museum is the holiday villa of Shanghai tycoon and philanthropist Silas Hardoon, one of the most famous figures in old Shanghai. Born in Baghdad, Iraq, and reared in Mumbai, Hardoon entered Shanghai real estate in 1911. He owned considerable property along Nanjing Road. When he died, his worth was estimated at US$150 million (it would be far more today).
In 1917, he built a villa near West Lake and named Luo's Garden after his Chinese wife Luo Jialing. Today it is open to visitors. The first floor contains stores and the second floor is a studio and gallery for local artists.
Address: 1 Gushan Rd
Hours: 9:30am-6:30pm
Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975)
The former leader of Kuomintang had many residences across the country but the small villa at the intersection of Nanshan and Hubin roads near West Lake is where he and his wife Soong May-ling spent their honeymoon in December 1927. The villa was presented to Chiang as a wedding gift by Sheng Enyi, a business tycoon.
It is open to the public; the first floor is a cafe; the second floor is an activity center for senior citizens.
Address: 189 Nanshan Rd
Shi Liangcai(1880-1934)
Across the lake from Chiang Kai-shek's villa is the former residence of media magnate Shi Liangcai, assassinated in 1934 by Chiang's agents for his dissenting political views.
Shi took over Shun Pao, one of the oldest newspapers in China in 1912. In 1932, the daily circulation exceeded 150,000 copies, making it one of the most successful newspapers in China.
His residence Qiushui villa was built for and named after Shi's wife, Shen Qiushui, in the 1930s. Shen witnessed her husband's murder. The villa was taken over by the state in 1949 and now it is part of the nearby Xinxin Hotel.
Address: 38 Beishan Rd
"Reading in here feels different from reading anywhere else," says Lin. "It's special because of the view of the lake, the feel of the breeze and knowing that I'm reading where the master used to read."
The study on the second floor of an old villa was opened to the public for the first time on September 29. The building in Huagang Park on Su Causeway on West Lake is now the Ma Yifu Memorial Hall. Exhibitions about Ma's life, a selection of his books and calligraphy masterpieces are on show on the first floor.
The villa was built by Jiang Su'an, a business tycoon and book collector from Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, for his mother to enjoy in her later years. It combines both Western and Chinese elements and used concrete as a building material, which was unusual at the time. The building created a stir for its uniqueness. In 1950, when Jiang learned that Ma Yifu was looking for a place to house his book collection, Jiang invited Ma to live in the villa.
Ma Yifu Memorial Hall
Address: Huagang Park, near entrance on Su Causeway
Hours: 9:30am-5:30pm
Since West Lake has been a scenic attraction throughout history, it's no wonder that renowned figures such as Ma Yifu favored it for a tranquil retreat.
Today other former residences along the lake have been opened to the public, creating yet other attractions.
Here are some historical figures who lived near the lake and whose homes are open to the public.
Yu Yue (1821-1907)
Yu Yue, a renowned scholar in the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) also found West Lake a perfect place for a library. Yu taught in the building for more than 30 years between 1862 and 1908. Unlike Ma Yifu's Memorial Hall with a limited selection of books, Yu's home contains an enormous collection in glass cases. It is also a museum.
Address: 32 Gushan Rd
Hours: 10am-2pm
Silas Aaron Hardoon (1851-1931)
Around a kilometer from the Yu museum is the holiday villa of Shanghai tycoon and philanthropist Silas Hardoon, one of the most famous figures in old Shanghai. Born in Baghdad, Iraq, and reared in Mumbai, Hardoon entered Shanghai real estate in 1911. He owned considerable property along Nanjing Road. When he died, his worth was estimated at US$150 million (it would be far more today).
In 1917, he built a villa near West Lake and named Luo's Garden after his Chinese wife Luo Jialing. Today it is open to visitors. The first floor contains stores and the second floor is a studio and gallery for local artists.
Address: 1 Gushan Rd
Hours: 9:30am-6:30pm
Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975)
The former leader of Kuomintang had many residences across the country but the small villa at the intersection of Nanshan and Hubin roads near West Lake is where he and his wife Soong May-ling spent their honeymoon in December 1927. The villa was presented to Chiang as a wedding gift by Sheng Enyi, a business tycoon.
It is open to the public; the first floor is a cafe; the second floor is an activity center for senior citizens.
Address: 189 Nanshan Rd
Shi Liangcai(1880-1934)
Across the lake from Chiang Kai-shek's villa is the former residence of media magnate Shi Liangcai, assassinated in 1934 by Chiang's agents for his dissenting political views.
Shi took over Shun Pao, one of the oldest newspapers in China in 1912. In 1932, the daily circulation exceeded 150,000 copies, making it one of the most successful newspapers in China.
His residence Qiushui villa was built for and named after Shi's wife, Shen Qiushui, in the 1930s. Shen witnessed her husband's murder. The villa was taken over by the state in 1949 and now it is part of the nearby Xinxin Hotel.
Address: 38 Beishan Rd
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