Former Site of Huiwentang Printing House

Former Site of Huiwentang Printing House

The former site of Huiwentang Printing House is a protected cultural heritage site of Jing’an District.

The former site of Huiwentang Printing House is located at No. 6, Lane 125, Huiwen Road. During the May Thirtieth Movement in 1925, to promptly guide and promote the anti-imperialist patriotic campaign, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Shanghai General Labour Union had a large volume of documents and propaganda materials that needed to be printed and published. In June, the Central Publishing Bureau of the CPC set up an underground printing plant within Fuxing Li Lane on Huiwen Road. A signboard reading “Huiwentang Printing House” was hung at the entrance as a cover. The person in charge of the factory was Ni You Tian (also known as Ni Zhong Xu). For safety reasons, the printing of party documents, leaflets, and other materials was carried out secretly at night. In mid-September, after the Shanghai General Labour Union was shut down by the authorities, one comrade who had gone to retrieve paper moulds was arrested. The Party Central Committee suspected that the factory might be exposed and decided to withdraw all personnel and close the printing plant. Huiwentang Printing House operated for only three months but printed a variety of materials including “The Guide,” “New Youth,” “China’s Youth,” “The Blood Daily,” along with party documents, propaganda materials, and internal newsletters. It was the first secret printing institution established by the Central Committee of the CPC. The building housing the former site was constructed around 1920. It is a traditional Shikumen lane residence, facing south, with a single bay and a two-story brick-and-wood structure, covering an area of 48 square meters.

The former site of Huiwentang Printing House is a protected cultural heritage site of Jing’an District.