Site of the Burning of the Zhao Family Mansion

Site of the Burning of the Zhao Family Mansion

The Site of the Burning of the Zhao Family Mansion is a cultural tourism attraction and a patriotic education base.

The Zhao Family Mansion was originally the residence of Zhao Wensu, a Grand Secretary of the Wen Ge during the Longqing era of the Ming Dynasty. In the early years of the Republic of China, Cao Rulin, who served as the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs under the Beiyang Government, lived here. On May 4, 1919, when news spread domestically that the Beiyang Government had suffered diplomatic setbacks at the Paris Peace Conference and that Cao Rulin and others were secretly planning to sign a - treaty, it provoked immense outrage among the Chinese people. Over 3,000 patriotic young students from Beijing gathered in front of Tiananmen Square to - protest. After the rally, the enraged students stormed Cao Rulin’s residence, severely beat Zhang Zongxiang who was hiding inside, and set the mansion on fire. This incident, known as the Burning of the Zhao Family Mansion, became a shocking event both in China and abroad during the May Fourth Movement.

The original buildings at the site have all been renovated and now serve as a guesthouse for a unit of the Air Force. Some photos and textual introductions reflecting the history of the May Fourth - movement and the Burning of the Zhao Family Mansion are currently on display. In 2002, it was designated as a “Dongcheng District Patriotic Education Base.” In June 2013, it was named a “Patriotic Education Memorial Site of Beijing.”

Address: No. 1 Qian Zhaojiɑlou, Dongcheng District

Hours: 9:00 – 16:00 (closed on holidays)

Admission: Free (group visits require advance reservation)

Phone: 65127722-1015

Public Transport: Take bus routes 1, 4, or 52 and get off at Beijing Railway Station Entrance; take bus routes 44 or 800 and get off at Yabao Road Station; or take Metro Line 2 to Jianguomen Station, then walk to Qian Zhaojiɑlou Hutong.