The house that a 'dark horse' built
By Tao Jiming |
March 29, 2010, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
VISITORS can't help but notice even from a distance the large, blue brick building on Xidajie Street in Jiading Town because of its overwhelming size.
It stands out against the ordinary houses in the neighborhood.
The owner was Tao Jiyuan, a famous tycoon in Jiading during the Republic of China. The people who lived nearby call it "Taos' Western style house."
Tao was my cousin and 42 years older than me.
His father died early and he was brought up by his mother.
Although he didn't have a solid educational background, he was very smart and worked in stock investment in Shanghai as a young man.
He made big profits as "a dark horse" in the stock market and, once he'd made the first fortune, he opened several factories including a textile factory named Jiafeng, the most famous one in Jiading. Its product of cotton clothes with the brand of "Fenghe" was popular far and wide, and enjoyed the "pass without examination" when exported abroad since 1949.
The house was built in 1933, occupying an area of 1,000 square meters with four courtyards, one for car parking, as well as some warehouses.
Tao was the first entrepreneur to own a private car in Jiading, the world famous Austin Sports car.
The second courtyard was for his driver, chefs, bodyguards and maids.
The main building was in the third courtyard with a big lobby covered by expensive UK-made floor tiles.
There are about 20 rooms on the second and third floors, all in teakwood, where Tao lived.
The kitchen and dinning room were in the fourth courtyard with a garden and pond inside.
In the style of shikumen houses, it had a gate and outside walls with an oval pattern in the center, simple, profound and elegant. I used to play there as a kid and the pattern left a strong impression on me. But I didn't know what it stood for.
Years later I visited the Shanghai Natural Museum on Yan'an Road, and found the same pattern that had been on the walls of Tao's building and learned that it originated from the Huashang Stock Exchange.
The link was that Tao Jiyuan was a big dealer at the exchange, so when he was building his own house, he copied the pattern to sustain his emotional links with it.
The War of Resistance Against Japan started four years after the house was built.
Jiading was occupied by Japanese troops who interrogated and tortured Chinese patriots inside it.
After liberation, the house was used as an office by the Supply and Marketing Cooperative of Jiading, later becoming a hospital dormitory.
It is now the residence of many families.
It stands out against the ordinary houses in the neighborhood.
The owner was Tao Jiyuan, a famous tycoon in Jiading during the Republic of China. The people who lived nearby call it "Taos' Western style house."
Tao was my cousin and 42 years older than me.
His father died early and he was brought up by his mother.
Although he didn't have a solid educational background, he was very smart and worked in stock investment in Shanghai as a young man.
He made big profits as "a dark horse" in the stock market and, once he'd made the first fortune, he opened several factories including a textile factory named Jiafeng, the most famous one in Jiading. Its product of cotton clothes with the brand of "Fenghe" was popular far and wide, and enjoyed the "pass without examination" when exported abroad since 1949.
The house was built in 1933, occupying an area of 1,000 square meters with four courtyards, one for car parking, as well as some warehouses.
Tao was the first entrepreneur to own a private car in Jiading, the world famous Austin Sports car.
The second courtyard was for his driver, chefs, bodyguards and maids.
The main building was in the third courtyard with a big lobby covered by expensive UK-made floor tiles.
There are about 20 rooms on the second and third floors, all in teakwood, where Tao lived.
The kitchen and dinning room were in the fourth courtyard with a garden and pond inside.
In the style of shikumen houses, it had a gate and outside walls with an oval pattern in the center, simple, profound and elegant. I used to play there as a kid and the pattern left a strong impression on me. But I didn't know what it stood for.
Years later I visited the Shanghai Natural Museum on Yan'an Road, and found the same pattern that had been on the walls of Tao's building and learned that it originated from the Huashang Stock Exchange.
The link was that Tao Jiyuan was a big dealer at the exchange, so when he was building his own house, he copied the pattern to sustain his emotional links with it.
The War of Resistance Against Japan started four years after the house was built.
Jiading was occupied by Japanese troops who interrogated and tortured Chinese patriots inside it.
After liberation, the house was used as an office by the Supply and Marketing Cooperative of Jiading, later becoming a hospital dormitory.
It is now the residence of many families.
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