China Famous Residences Study Tour Museum · Beijing Volume · Hutong Mist

Author: Read Pictures Era
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-04-01
Features: 10 historical and cultural cities; 260 influential figures in China; 300 weathered old houses; 2,000 precious exclusive photographs—creating a deep cultural exploration space for you. Currently, a "cultural heritage fever" is on the rise. Imperial palaces and mausoleums, Buddhist and Taoist grottoes and temples, scholar-official gardens and pavilions, and ordinary folk's ancient towns and villages have all received unprecedented attention. But amidst this buzz, have we missed anything? China's 5,000-year uninterrupted social development and cultural inheritance, reborn after the turbulent times since the late Qing Dynasty, relies on what strength? And why has it been so fraught with challenges? Of course, it is not due to divine favor or disfavor, but rather the effort or lack thereof of "people." At the forefront of major historical eras, "celebrities"—whether political and military figures or cultural luminaries—are a group that plays a significant, even decisive, role. Once elevated as representatives or symbols of a group, their individual lives are no longer just personal journeys and experiences. Their aspirations, actions, and moral character, as well as their joys, sorrows, and subtle thoughts, all participate in shaping China's identity, making them the key reasons for why China is what it is today. They are the core and soul that one must deeply explore to understand China. Though these individuals have passed, the old houses they once lived in and the objects they used, though worn and faded by time, still retain their essence and carry dense cultural codes. These unique and precious cultural heritage sites are scattered among the ordinary streets and alleys of cities, likely right around us, waiting to be discovered, experienced, and interpreted.
To this end, China Pictorial Publishing House has specially launched the China Famous Celebrity Former Residence Study Series. This series has three distinctive features:
First, it is the first time in the publishing industry to conduct a panoramic survey, organization, and documentation of the cultural landscape of "celebrity former residences." This series selects ten cities: Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Guangzhou, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Qingdao, Xiamen, Kunming, and Shaoxing. These cities span east to west and north to south, are all historical and cultural hubs, and hold special significance in modern Chinese history. They are also cities where celebrity former residences are most concentrated and relatively well-preserved. While some of these cities have previously published books on celebrity former residences, they are unrelated and primarily local historical records. In contrast, this series stands out for its completeness and coherence. The political, economic, and cultural status, as well as the urban atmosphere of these ten cities, are distinctly unique. The groups of celebrities they attract and absorb are diverse, and so are the appearances of their former residences.
Beijing, as a 700-year-old imperial capital, naturally attracts celebrities from all walks of life, most of whom live in the city's countless hutongs. These hutongs and siheyuan are no longer ordinary residential areas but form a vast cultural "spiderweb," filled with an ethereal cultural aura that allows one to momentarily forget the noise and chaos of the streets.
Shanghai is a microcosm and symbol of modernization and modernization in China. Its celebrity former residences are far more than the "fairy caves" of compradors and famous women; they hold deeper and more substantial meanings. Guangzhou, as a city at the forefront of change since modern times, has continuously sent new ideas and figures (whether reformists or revolutionaries) inland and northward. Nanjing is both a traditional cultural center and the capital of the Republic of China; Hangzhou has become a relatively pure southern cultural hub due to its beautiful mountains and waters and comfortable living. Shaoxing is where many influential figures across the nation spent their childhoods. Qingdao and Xiamen, two beautiful coastal cities, have attracted numerous cultural celebrities due to unique circumstances, making them "temporary refuge" cities. Xiamen, in particular, has a strong Minnan local flavor. Kunming comforted celebrities during the turbulent years of the War of Resistance Against Japan and also earned itself a precious piece of cultural heritage. Tianjin is special—most of the celebrities who reside here are often seen as "anti-heroes." The arenas of power and career struggles are usually in Beijing, while Tianjin serves as their "backstage," where they manipulate behind the scenes, waiting for a comeback or simply surviving. This has given rise to a unique "retired official" culture.
Second, the ideological depth, personal experience, and engaging nature of the series. The celebrities selected for this series are primarily modern figures from the late Qing Dynasty to the present, spanning politics, economics, and military fields, with a particular focus on intellectuals and cultural figures. The authors are over a dozen doctoral and master's students from renowned universities such as Fudan University, Nanjing University, the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Xiamen University, Yunnan University, Hebei University, and Qingdao University. As modern youth passionate about Chinese history and culture, they have personally visited and researched celebrity former residences in their respective cities. This is not just a simple tour but a deep "cultural" reflection. The celebrity former residences in this series are not just listed by street addresses but are categorized and explained based on the celebrities' identities, personalities, and temperaments, offering a structurally innovative approach. The content includes descriptions of the current state of the former residences, introductions to the celebrities' lives, their achievements or legends during their time of residence, and their reflections and critiques of history. For great figures or masters, the series not only commemorates their accomplishments, spirit, and demeanor but also attempts to engage in an equal dialogue with their souls, exploring the ordinary aspects of their lives. For those deemed "negative figures," the series avoids hasty judgments of right or wrong, instead reflecting on their fate and role within the historical context. For some figures overlooked by official history, the series strives to present a more authentic and diverse picture of the past.
Due to the involvement of ten cities, a surprising result has emerged: some of the most influential celebrities have left their former residences in multiple cities. While each is told separately, linking the entire series together provides a clear view of their life trajectories. For example, Lu Xun was born in Shaoxing, became famous in Beijing, stayed temporarily in Xiamen, had a "late-life romance" in Guangzhou, and spent his final years in Shanghai. Almost all the old houses he lived in are featured in the series, offering a unique perspective on this cultural giant's life through a special "biography." Similar cases apply to figures like Soong Ching-ling,, Kang Youwei, and Li Shu. This should also be a shining point of the series.
Third, the rarity of the materials and a certain degree of practicality. Most of the celebrity former residences covered in the series are not open to the public. The more than 2,000 photographs taken on-site provide a substantial record. Therefore, the series is not only a faithful chronicler but also an advocate for greater concern and protection of cultural heritage.
While this series is a book on human geography, not a travel guide, it still includes detailed "tips" and distribution maps of former residences in each city, offering assistance to those interested in and fond of celebrity former residences.
These ten books of the China Famous Celebrity Former Residence Study Series represent a grand cultural endeavor. They are not an end but a good beginning. These ten cities cannot yet be said to encompass all of China's celebrity former residences. In cities like Fuzhou, Suzhou, Wuhan, Chongqing, and Changsha, equally splendid cultural landscapes still await discovery and recognition. Here is the heart of the "Central Kingdom," where countless people come with dreams. Celebrities from all over the world are mostly hidden in the countless hutongs of Beijing. These hutongs and siheyuan are no longer ordinary residential areas but form a vast cultural "spiderweb." Though the past glamour has long faded, standing in the courtyards where they once stayed and walking through the alleys they once traversed, the ethereal cultural aura still allows one to momentarily forget the noise and chaos of the streets, sinking into introspection and meditation.