Former Residence of Zhang Yuanji

Former Residence of Zhang Yuanji

The former residence of Zhang Yuanji is a protected cultural heritage site of Shanghai.

Zhang Yuanji lived at No. 24, at the end of the lane, a three-story modern-style lane house with two large south-facing rooms side by side on each floor, and a not-too-large yard in front.

From 1939 to 1959, Zhang Yuanji, a modern publishing magnate and a veteran in the publishing industry, resided for 20 years at No. 24, Lane 1285, Huaihai Middle Road, in Sofa Garden, during the peak of his career. The garden was originally a private garden built by an English Jewish man named Sofa, laid out in a Western style.

The master bedroom and study were located in the west room on the second floor. The furnishings were simple, consisting only of a few sturdy but mismatched wooden pieces and stacks of books. In the northwest corner of the room stood a yellowish-brown wooden bed with a four-foot width. It wasn’t until his son, Zhang Shunian, started working and used his first month’s salary to custom-make a more comfortable pair of beds for the couple. In the center of the room was a square redwood table with a white marble top — this table was part of his mother’s dowry and later became his work desk. Zhang Yuanji worked at this desk almost daily, writing numerous letters and proofreading ancient texts. Against the north wall was a large wardrobe, half of which held a small number of long robes, while the upper section of the other half was “occupied” by the Four Treasures of the Study. In the northeast corner of the room was a dimly lit small compartment containing a four-tier bookshelf. On the east wall was a closet, on top of which sat a small leather-covered cloisonné gold clock. Whenever Zhang Yuanji was reading or writing alone, there was no sound except for this little clock, which chimed every half hour, adding to the serene atmosphere of the room. To the south were four glass windows, outside of which was a small balcony. On the two narrow walls on either side of the windows hung two portraits of Zhang Yuanji — one a photo of him at age 40, and the other of him wearing a suit during his visit to Europe. These two photos have been frequently used in publications.

Garden

Outside the small garden gate lies a long rectangular terrace, at the front of which is a rockery interspersed with cedar trees, magnolia, wisteria trellises, and various plants. At the back is a umbrella-shaped cement pavilion.

Usage

Currently, the third floor of this house is occupied by Zhang Yuanji’s only son, Zhang Shunian, along with his family spanning three generations.

Zhang Yuanji (1867–1959), from Haiyan, Zhejiang, was a renowned modern publisher, educator, and bibliographer. In 1899, he was appointed by Sheng Xuanhuai as the Dean of the Translation Institute of Nanyang Public School, which was the earliest publishing house established by a Chinese university. With the mission of enlightening the public and saving the nation through education, the institute set standards for publishing, selected titles, and hired translators, quickly becoming one of the leading institutions in the domestic translation and publishing field. Although the Translation Institute only existed for four years, it published 13 types of works comprising over 40 volumes, including Yan Fu’s translation of Adam Smith’s... More details about Zhang Yuanji ++