The Chen Guichun Residence

The Chen Guichun Residence

The Chen Guichun Residence is a Shanghai Municipal Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Chen Guichun Residence is located to the south of Lujiazui Central Green Space. Built in 1914 and completed in 1917, this Sino-Western courtyard-style residential house was constructed by local gentry-merchant Chen Guichun, blending both Eastern and Western cultural elements. Locals also refer to it as a “twisted-ring house.” The Chen Guichun Residence is also known as “Yingchuan Cottage,” and is an outstanding example of modern Shanghai residential architecture within the Pudong New Area, notable for its distinctive blend of Chinese and Western architectural features.

The residence consists of a courtyard, garden, main building, living room, wing rooms, and service corridors. The house follows a traditional Chinese four-courtyard, three-compound layout, with service corridors on either side leading directly to the rear courtyard. The main entrance faces south, opening into the front courtyard. The entrance gatehouse has five bays on both upper and lower levels; the two sides house bedrooms, while the wings are occupied by side rooms. On either side of the courtyard are auxiliary rooms, with the upper level serving as a covered corridor, forming a covered walkway structure. The courtyard is covered with a glass skylight. Originally, service corridors ran along the inside of the entire compound wall, used for daily access to each section. Adjacent to the corridors and built against the walls were over twenty single-story rooms, used for servants’ quarters and storage of miscellaneous tools and items. Behind the main house lies a courtyard, flower beds, a well, and toilets. Each section of the buildings within the compound walls is arranged in a straight line of five bays; the upstairs rooms—including bedrooms, studies, and lounges—feature traditional Chinese interiors, while the downstairs areas such as the dining room, tea room, and bathrooms are furnished and fitted in Western style. The decoration of the front and rear halls showcases intricately carved beams and painted rafters, with floor-length windows, lattice windows, and wooden doors all exquisitely detailed. In addition to carvings of flowers, birds, lions, deer, and horses, the beams, purlins, and brackets are also engraved with scenes from the complete story of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, earning it the reputation of the “Pudong Carved Flower House.” The exterior façade of the building is constructed with alternating blue and red bricks; the gable walls and eaves display distinct Western stylistic elements. Traditional French floral patterns such as lilies, tulips, and roses, along with ancient Chinese wood carving craftsmanship, can be found throughout the high-quality wooden beams and wall frames made of materials like nanmu.

The master’s room inside the residence was the private living quarters of the owner, generally not shown to outsiders. The outer section is usually connected to a small sitting room or study. In traditional homes, the master bedroom, or “lord’s room,” was typically located in the main house rather than in wing rooms or other areas, and was fully furnished with a bed, wardrobe, table, chairs, and more. By the Republican era, Western items such as clocks, gramophones, and electric fans had also made their way into the bedrooms. Some owners, keen on being trendy and fashionable, even chose modern-style furniture. This also aligns with the overall harmonious fusion of Chinese and Western architectural styles seen in the building.

Upgraded to a Municipal Cultural Relics Protection Unit on April 4, 2014.