Former Residence of Ding Guitang

Former Residence of Ding Guitang

Ding Guitang’s residence is located at No. 45 Fenyang Road. This Western-style house was built in 1932, featuring a three-story brick-and-wood structure designed by the architectural firm of peddle & wheeler. It covers a land area of 8,000 square meters, with a building area of 1,236 square meters. Originally serving as the official residence of the Customs Tax Commissioner, it later became the home of Ding Guitang, the Deputy Commissioner of the Customs, hence also known as the Ding Guitang Residence. It is an exceptionally luxurious Spanish-style garden villa.

The main building is situated in the central-northern part, with the auxiliary building located to the northwest of the main building and connected to it. In front of the main building lies a large garden dominated by a 1,500-square-meter lawn, while behind it, a large driveway shaded by tall cedar trees leads to the courtyard.

Entering through the steps along the north façade of the ground floor of the main building leads to the foyer. On either side of the foyer are a cloakroom and a bathroom. A continuous cloakroom runs through, with the other end connecting to the stairwell, allowing the host to go upstairs directly after passing through the cloakroom. The hall is located in the center of the building plan, with a spacious veranda facing south. To the east are a reception room and a study, and to the west are a dining room and a pantry. Outside the dining room is a square, large balcony that can serve both as a resting and strolling area during meals and as a separate entrance and foyer for the dining room. Between the hall and the dining room, there are flat, wide steps that create a variation in the floor level, giving off an air of nobility—especially with the broad steps and platform of the stairwell connected to the hall. When the host descends the stairs to greet guests in the hall, it creates a sense of pride.

The second floor centers around a reception room used for receiving relatives, with a set of bedrooms, living rooms, and bathrooms on each side. In the eastern bedroom, there is also a room for the children of the owner, along with a bathroom. To the north of the corridor are three staircases: besides the main staircase, the eastern staircase leads to the third floor, and the western one is for the servants. The third floor is a mezzanine, featuring three bedrooms, various-sized bathrooms, and a sewing room.

The architectural façade is symmetrical on both sides, centered around the main hall. The ground floor is surrounded by a continuous arched veranda, with the center featuring three continuous semi-circular archways supported by four columns, in front of which is a long, wide platform. The second floor has a continuous large balcony that distinctly highlights the main entrance of the residence. The window frames of the residence feature paired columns arranged side by side, decorated with twisted patterns and arched designs—namely spiral Spanish-style columns—adding a touch of luxury. The various window sills are very low, increasing the amount of light entering and showcasing a strong architectural flavor of southern Europe. The railings of the balconies on the upper floors are all made of cast iron, with patterns that combine the regional style of the southern Mediterranean coast with modern elements (emphasizing practical functionality). The façade of the main building is finished with white cement roughcast walls, topped with red barrel tiles in a hip roof design. Under the eaves is a continuous decorative band of arched moldings, fully displaying the characteristics of Spanish architecture. Among the many Spanish-style residences in Shanghai, this building is the most beautiful.

Looking at the entire building, its floor plan is both rational and grand, taking full consideration of the movement routes of the owner, guests, and servants, as well as the hierarchy between them. The composition and detailing of the architectural façade prominently feature Spanish characteristics, making it a model of modern Spanish-style residential architecture in Shanghai. From a distance, this garden villa nestled among lush greenery resembles a landscape painting from Europe.

After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the residence served as the office building of the Shanghai Customs College. Since 2000, when the college moved to its new campus in Pudong, the building has been under the administration of the Shanghai Customs. In 1989, it was listed as a municipal-level protected excellent modern architectural heritage site.

Ding Guitang, courtesy name Rongjie, was born on November 18, 1891, in Haicheng County, Liaoning Province, during the 17th year of the Guangxu reign in the Qing Dynasty.

As a child, he helped his father and elder brother with farming. At the age of 10, he attended a private school, then continued his education at an elementary school in his county. In 1910, the second year of the Xuantong reign, he graduated from Fengtian Advanced School and subsequently taught at Dongguan Elementary School in Fengtian. In the spring of 1912, he was admitted to the Fengtian Political Science School but later transferred to the Beijing Customs College, from which he graduated in March 1916. In July of the same year, he was assigned to the Andong Customs as a probationary officer, and was promoted to assistant officer in August of the following year.

In the autumn of 1917, he was transferred to the General Taxation Office in Beijing from... More detailed information about Ding Guitang ++