Shaoxing is well-known as the City of Celebrities. In ancient China, there were Yu the Great, the King of Yue State, and Wang Xizhi, known as the Sage of Calligraphy. In modern China, Shaoxing is where Lu Xun, Qiu Jin, Cai Yuanpei, Zhou Enlai and other famous people lived or worked. The former residences of these celebrities and their families have become very popular attractions in Shaoxing.
Lu Xun Native Place
Lu Xun, the great contemporary novelist of modern China, spent his teenage years in Shaoxing. Today, Lu Xun Native Place has been developed into a historic block depicting the traditional lifestyles in East China. The attraction represents a true feeling of Lu Xun’s life as most of the buildings mentioned in his stories can be seen. The most popular buildings and sites include the Sanwei Study, Baicao Garden, Xianheng Restaurant, and others.
The Ancestral Residence of Zhou Enlai
Situated on Landong Road in downtown Shaoxing, the Ancestral Residence of Zhou Enlai is a traditional courtyard house in Ming and Qing styles. It comprises the ancestral and former residences, as well as a museum of the former Prime Minister of China, Zhou Enlai. This is where Zhou Enlai spent his childhood years with his family. The video played in the museum shows the outstanding achievements of this great first Prime Minster of China.
The Former Residence of Qiu Jin
Located in downtown Shaoxing, the Former Residence of Qiu Jin is a typical wooden structure of East China. It has become a key cultural site under national-level rotection, and also a base in Zhejiang for patriotic education programs. Qiu Jin, was dubbed by Dr. Sun Yat-sen as the “Jin Guo Ying Xiong” (Female Hero) for being a harbinger of the democratic revolution and women’s revolution movement.
The Former Residence of Cai Yuanpei
Located in downtown Shaoxing, the Former Residence of Cai Yuanpei is composed of three rows of three-room buildings, connected by a courtyard in the middle. This is where Cai spent his childhood and teenage years. Cai Yuanpei, a renowned democratic revolutionary, educator and statesman of modern China, was honored by Chairman Mao as “an authority in the academic world and a good example in the human world.”
Qingteng Study
Located in downtown Shaoxing, the Qingteng Study is the former residence of Xu Wei, a famous artist and writer in the Ming Dynasty. Xu Wei was versatile in calligraphy, poetry, writing and painting in ancient China. Today, Xu is known to the young and old in Shaoxing for his humor and wit, as well as his fantastic anecdotes.
The Former Residence of Wang Xizhi
Located on West Street on the southern side of Jishan Hill in downtown Shaoxing, the former residence of Wang Xizhi was one of Wang’s estates during his official tenure in Kuaji (Shaoxing). Currently called the Jiezhu Lecture Temple, it covers an area of 1,470 square meters. The famous Buddhist monk, Master Hongyi, took a post in the temple during the period of the Republic of China. The historic sites in front of the temple include the Ink-stone Washing Pond, the Goose Pond, and the Inscribed Fans Bridge.
Dayu Tomb
Located in the middle of Kuaiji Mountain in the southeast of Shaoxing, the Dayu Tomb is the burial place of the legendary hero in Chinese history. It is listed as a key cultural relic site under national protection as well as one of the national bases for patriotic education programs. Dayu, also known as Yu the Great, gathered hundreds of officers in Kuaiji Mountain of Shaoxing and then set up the first dynasty (Xia Dynasty) in Chinese history. Dayu was regarded as a hero for his success in flood control in primitive Chinese civilization. For 5,000 years, the Dayu Tomb has been a Mecca for Chinese people to offer sacrifices and pay respect to Dayu. Additionally, it is a place for people to learn from the spirit of Dayu.