Former Residence of Zou Taofen

Former Residence of Zou Taofen

The Former Residence of Zou Taofen is a protected cultural heritage site of Shanghai Municipality.

No. 54, Lane 205, Chongqing South Road, is the former residence of Zou Taofen, a renowned Chinese journalist, publisher, and political commentator in modern times. Zou Taofen’s original name was Zou Enrun; “Taofen” was the pen name he began using in 1927. “Tao” means to conceal one's talents and bide one's time, while “Fen” means to strive tirelessly. He was originally from Yugan, Jiangxi Province, and was born on November 5, 1895, in Yong’an, Fujian, to a declining landlord-bureaucrat family. In his youth, Zou’s family faced increasing financial hardship. His father hoped he would become a skilled engineer and sent him to Nanyang Public School in Shanghai (the predecessor of Shanghai Jiao Tong University). However, Zou had a passion for literature and aspired to be a journalist. After the summer of 1919, he resolutely transferred to the Liberal Arts Department of St. John’s University in Shanghai. After graduating in 1921, he joined the Chinese Vocational Education Association in Shanghai the following year as head of a department, where he edited the monthly magazine *Education and Vocation* and a series called *Vocational Education Series*, thus beginning his beloved career in journalism and publishing.

In 1930, Zou Taofen and his wife Shen Cuizhen rented a home at No. 54, Wan Yi Fang, Rue Lafayette (now part of the French Concession), located on what is now the site of his former residence. This home was a two-story, modern-style row house with a brick-concrete structure. The exterior walls were finished with roughcast concrete, and there was a two-meter-high wall enclosing the front yard. Entering the wall, you’d find a small courtyard, followed by a living room that also served as a dining area. The space was furnished with sofas covered in blue shirtings, a small round table in the center, and four armchairs around it. On the walls hung portraits of Zou’s parents, an embroidered masterpiece by Shen Cuizhen, and several oil paintings depicting autumn and winter scenes, giving the whole room a simple yet elegant atmosphere. The second floor housed the bedroom of Zou and his wife. Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows was a small balcony enclosed by iron railings. The interior featured standard wooden flooring, with a large bed on one side, and a wardrobe and dressing table on the other. In the southwest corner stood a small round table with two chairs, and the walls displayed several family photos. The rear attic room served as Zou’s study, where a desk sat by the window and two bookshelves filled with foreign language books lined the walls. Within this less than seven-square-meter room, Zou wrote numerous incisive essays criticizing the dark rule of the Kuomintang.

After the September 18th Incident, Zou Taofen devoted himself entirely to the anti-Japanese salvation movement in Shanghai. On July 15, 1936, he, along with Shen Junru, Tao Xingzhi, and others, co-signed and published an open letter titled “Several Fundamental Conditions and Minimum Requirements for National Unity in Resistance,” clearly expressing agreement and support for the views proposed by the Chinese Communist Party and the stance of the anti-Japanese united front. Mao Zedong responded with an open letter, which greatly inspired the anti-Japanese spirit of the entire nation.

On November 22, 1936, in an attempt to extinguish the flames of domestic resistance against Japan, the Kuomintang arrested seven leaders of the Salvation Association—including Shen Junru and Zou Taofen—who were leading the anti-Japanese salvation movement in Shanghai. On December 4, these seven were transferred to Suzhou for detention and tried by the Jiangsu High Court, leading to the “Seven Gentlemen Incident,” which drew strong opposition from people across the country, including notable figures such as Soong Ching-ling and He Xiangning. During their eight months in prison, Zou and the others remained steadfast and unyielding, engaging in face-to-face struggles with the judges. On June 13, 1937, 5,000 Shanghai citizens held a rally demanding the authorities declare the “Seven Gentlemen” not guilty. Under the resolute struggle of the people nationwide, the Kuomintang government was forced to release the “Seven Gentlemen” on July 31.

After his release from prison, Zou Taofen continued his patriotic salvation work, traveling between Chongqing, Hankou, and Hong Kong. In 1943, due to a brain tumor, he secretly returned to Shanghai for medical treatment but unfortunately passed away at Shanghai Hospital (now Shanghai Second People’s Hospital) in 1944 at the age of 49.

After Zou Taofen’s death, the Party Central Committee spoke highly of him. In a message of condolence to his family on September 28, 1944, the Party Central Committee stated: “For over twenty years, Mr. Zou Taofen strove ceaselessly for the national salvation movement, for democratic politics, and for cultural endeavors. Even while imprisoned, he never wavered in his principles, and until his last breath, he remained deeply concerned for the people and the nation. His spirit will live on forever, and his writings will be immortal.”

In 1956, the Shanghai municipal government funded the restoration of Zou Taofen’s former residence and established the Zou Taofen Memorial Hall next door at No. 53. The memorial hall consists of two parts: the former residence of Zou Taofen and an exhibition on his life and deeds. The residence remains in its original state as it was when Zou’s family lived there in the 1930s; the exhibition is divided into eight sections that introduce the revolutionary life of Comrade Zou Taofen. The former residence is now listed as a key cultural heritage site under the protection of Shanghai Municipality. The memorial hall, including the residence, is also recognized as a “Youth Education Base” in Shanghai and has been recommended by the Shanghai Tourism Bureau as a sightseeing destination.

Admission

5 RMB

Opening Hours

9:00–11:00, 13:00–16:00

Location

No. 54, Lane 205, Chongqing South Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai, China

Zou Taofen (November 5, 1895 – July 24, 1944), originally named Enrun, with the childhood name Yingshu and also known as Li Jinqing, was from Shatang Village, Dutou Village Committee, Huangxi Township, Wanxi County. In 1922, he began working at the Chinese Vocational Education Association, founded by Huang Yanpei and others, serving as head of a department and starting his career in education and social work. In 1926, he took over as editor-in-chief of *Life Weekly*, where he advocated for justice with his sharp pen and criticized dark forces.

After the September 18th Incident, Zou Taofen firmly opposed the Kuomintang government’s policy of non-resistance. The *Life Weekly* magazine he edited in Shanghai campaigned against civil war and for unity against the enemy... More details about Zou Taofen++