Yesterday's Courtyard: Nanjing Grand Mansion

Author: Jia Mengwei
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: Most of the "grand houses" mentioned here are from the Republican era, such as Qi Lu (Resting Lodge), Mei Ling Palace, and Marshall's "No. 5 Ninghai Road." The political role of these grand houses during the Republican era cannot be underestimated; they were places for important figures to negotiate, conspire, negotiate, curry favor, exert pressure, and lobby. The author describes not only the architecture of the grand houses but also the people who lived in them and the events that took place there.
Excerpt: Mei Ling Palace Mei Ling Palace can be considered one of the most magnificent official residences in Nanjing. In 1991, it was awarded as an outstanding modern building by the Ministry of Construction and the State Administration of Cultural Heritage. In 1992, it was listed as a cultural relic protection unit by Nanjing Municipal People's Government, and in July 2001, it was upgraded to a national key cultural relic protection unit—among all cultural relic protection units in Nanjing, Mei Ling Palace is the only one. It is said that Soong Mei-ling "whispered in bed" and Chiang Kai-shek formally proposed to the Executive Yuan Management Committee in the autumn of 1930 to "build a villa on the small red hill in the mausoleum" for Chiang Kai-shek and Soong Mei-ling to rest during their visits to the mausoleum. The small red hill is east of the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum, with dense forests and a tranquil environment, making it an excellent location for building a villa. On October 24, 1930, the Executive Yuan Management Committee held its 24th meeting, presided over by Sun Ke, and resolved to "proceed as planned." In the spring of 1931, the small red hill villa was personally designed by Zhao Zhiyou, the Director of the Nanjing Municipal People's Government's Bureau of Public Works, with Chen Pinshan as the chief engineer. The initial budget for construction was 261,410 yuan. On March 7, Zhao Zhiyou wrote to the Executive Yuan Management Committee: "The plan for the small red hill villa by the Generalissimo has been finalized by our bureau, and it is urgent to commence construction. All buildings within the site should be demolished first to facilitate the process. Please forward this letter to the security section of the Executive Yuan Management Committee, asking them to move some of the current security personnel residing on the small red hill immediately to facilitate demolition and construction." In the winter of 1931, the construction of the villa began in full swing, entrusted to the Xinjinji (Kang Hao) Construction Company. The final cost of Mei Ling Palace far exceeded the budget, reaching 360,000 silver yuan, sparking much criticism and even leading to a temporary halt in construction, which was not completed until 1934. After completion, Mei Ling Palace covered an area of 7.2 acres and had a construction area of over 2,000 square meters. It was surrounded by lush greenery and blooming flowers. The entrance was equipped with guard houses, and upon entering, there was an oval-shaped ring road. The architectural design blended Chinese and Western styles. The main building stood atop the small red hill, with a reinforced concrete frame and a shape resembling a "" (upside-down T). The exterior resembled traditional Qing Dynasty palace architecture, towering and majestic, with a rich national aesthetic. The large tiled roofs of the Chinese palace style were covered with green glazed tiles, while the front and rear porches and the side eaves were also adorned with glazed tile upturned roofs, shimmering and dazzling under the sunlight. The walls were decorated with modern techniques, featuring yellow brick cladding and rectangular steel windows, supported by stone bases. The surrounding platforms and railings were also made of stone. Internally, the interior was decorated with wooden finishes and intricate wood patterns, showcasing exquisite craftsmanship. From an aerial view, Mei Ling Palace resembled a pearl necklace with sapphire pendants. The winding mountain road leading to the main building was the pearl chain, with the main building as the sapphire pendant. The green glazed tiles on the roof of the main building appeared blue from the air. This creative design is said to have been proposed by Soong Mei-ling, truly a stroke of ingenuity.