Former Residence of Liu Guojun

Former Residence of Liu Guojun

The Former Residence of Liu Guojun is a protected cultural heritage site of Jiangsu Province.

Liu Guojun (1887–1978) was born in Shengci Town, Jingjiang County, Jiangsu Province, and was of Han ethnicity. As early as the early 1930s, Liu Guojun stepped onto the historical stage of China’s national industry as a seasoned entrepreneur. Thereafter, he brilliantly orchestrated the dazzling scene of the textile and dyeing industry on this grand stage, capturing worldwide attention and earning him the reputation of an outstanding modern industrialist and a renowned patriotic business leader in China.

The Former Residence of Liu Guojun is located in his birthplace, Shengci Town, adjacent to the Temple of Yue Fei.

Approaching the classic Chinese-style gatehouse, the powerful calligraphy “Hongyi Garden” (Garden of Great Aspiration and Perseverance) by the renowned artist Liu Haisu catches the eye. The former residence consists of the Old House, Shan Yu Hall, Jing Xiu Hall, and the newly built Guo Jun Hall. The entire complex is interconnected by corridors and divided by courtyards, with a balanced layout of spaces that blend seamlessly into one harmonious whole. The most striking feature is the Old House on the left side of the entrance — its earthen bricks and grey tiles, covered in moss, along with a low thatched room housing an old bamboo bed, a spinning wheel, and a weaving machine. These relics read like a dusty textbook of hardship and diligence, quietly narrating the arduous yet glorious entrepreneurial journey of Mr. Liu Guojun, a pride of China’s national industry.

A thought-provoking couplet hangs on the wall of the Old House: “Asked about my hardships in youth, I spent just eight hundred coins on schooling. I ate coarse barley gruel three times a day and slept on a bamboo-woven bed at night. My life's achievements are the fruit of collective effort; in wealth and comfort, I never forget the poor.”

Stepping out of the Old House and passing through the front courtyard corridor, you enter the Jing Xiu Hall, which signifies “dedication to work and self-cultivation” — a personal creed that Mr. Liu Guojun upheld throughout his life. The solemn Jing Xiu Hall displays photos of Mr. Liu and his family. At the age of 15, Mr. Liu left his small hometown of Shengci to seek his fortune, and in his later years, he returned to his roots in glory. Though it seemed like a full circle, over 50 years, Mr. Liu remained deeply connected to his hometown, repeatedly donating funds to support education, dredge waterways, and restore the Temple of Yue Fei. In the Jing Xiu Hall, there is a photo of Mr. Liu sitting in his study, behind which hangs a painting of a horse by the famed Chinese artist Xu Beihong. The horse is not galloping but is instead drinking water — a symbol of Mr. Liu’s gratitude and remembrance for his roots. This virtue of remembering one’s origins continued with his descendants. His daughter, Ms. Liu Bi-ru, would generously support her hometown’s economic development on every visit — funding schools, building industries, and developing tertiary sectors.

Exiting the Jing Xiu Hall and walking through the shaded corridor, you arrive at the Shan Yu Hall. Hanging prominently in the center of the hall is a couplet reading “Though aged in years, the heart stays young; forever follow the Party’s lead,” written in Liu Guojun’s own handwriting — bold and striking. The hall gets its name from the Shan Yu Dyeing and Weaving Factory that Mr. Liu founded in his hometown during the Republican era. “Shan Yu” (Surplus of Goodness) serves as the best tribute to him. There is also an intriguing backstory: originally named the Shan Yu Weaving Factory, Mr. Liu added the character “恒” (Perseverance) to form “Shan Yu Heng,” in memory of his mother’s teachings. He recalled that when he was 15 and about to leave home, his mother pantomimed the action of spinning and gave him the character “恒,” saying, “Without perseverance, how can a ball of cotton become thread, and how can thread become cloth?” From then on, he took his mother’s words to heart and composed his own motto: “Take a step every day, and you need not fear thousands of miles; do something often, and you need not fear a thousand tasks.” Today, the Shan Yu Hall has become a place for guests to reflect on these meaningful words, adorned with calligraphy and paintings in an elegant and refreshing atmosphere.

Stepping out of the Shan Yu Hall into the surrounding garden, you’ll find lush greenery, fragrant flowers, osmanthus in autumn, and spring orchids. The citron trees planted by Mr. Liu’s descendants remain vibrant year-round, their branches reaching up to the eaves. Two striking magnolia trees thrive with full crowns reaching toward the sky. When in bloom, they fill the air with a delicate fragrance and display their pure white blossoms, crystal clear, as if embodying the noble character of Mr. Liu Guojun. Passing through the wing rooms on both sides of the Shan Yu Hall, you’ll reach the exhibition room located to the southwest of the residence. The exhibition room vividly recreates the life and legacy of Mr. Liu Guojun — the eminent industrialist and patriot — through photos and physical artifacts. Display cabinets detail his entrepreneurial journey with comprehensive historical materials, while the walls feature inscriptions from former leaders such as Lu Dingyi, Hu Zi’ang, and Liu Jingji, expressing deep admiration and remembrance. The exhibits bring to mind how Mr. Liu, in order to compete with Japanese businesses, pioneered the production of velvet and corduroy in China, creating branded goods that frustrated his Japanese competitors. In the spring of 1950, shortly after the founding of the People’s Republic, Mr. Liu, driven by patriotism and longing for his homeland, overcame numerous obstacles to return from Hong Kong to mainland China. He devoted himself to the fervent cause of socialist construction, and his noble spirit lives on.

Walking east from the exhibition room for several dozen meters, you’ll find the newly built “Guo Jun Hall,” completed in the new century. At the center of the hall stands an 18-ton, 3.5-meter-tall white marble statue of Mr. Liu Guojun seated, with kind and gentle features, gazing affectionately at the land he loved and missed all his life. Above the statue are four golden characters written by Lu Dingyi: “Shen Ai Qin Cheng” (Revere, Love, Diligence, Sincerity) — a shining tribute to Mr. Liu’s character. The figure Mr. Liu respected most was Yue Fei, whose spirit of “Devoted Loyalty to the Country” he believed inspired his own success and rise to glory. Thus, he and his descendants undertook four renovations of the Temple of Yue Fei. Stories of Mr. Liu’s homesickness and patriotism continue to be told and admired among the people of Jingjiang. His children also showed great concern for the hometown’s development, donating to build libraries, Shengci Middle School, and establishing the Liu Guojun Scholarship Fund — all of which have become local legends.

Mr. Liu Guojun’s life journey — from apprentice in Buniu Town to wealthy businessman, then to a national industrial leader who dared to compete with the Japanese, and finally to the patriotic and socialist-minded Vice Governor of Jiangsu Province — was shaped by his values of “perseverance,” “great will and endurance,” “self-cultivation,” and his enduring love for his country and hometown. He has left us a priceless spiritual legacy.

Liu Guojun (November 15, 1899 – June 27, 1980)

Styled Hengru, he was a native of Nanjing, Jiangsu. A renowned library scientist.

Graduated from the Philosophy Department of Jinling University in Nanjing in 1920 and stayed on to work in the university library. In 1922, he went to the University of Wisconsin in the United States to study philosophy, library science, and advanced research, earning a Ph.D. in Philosophy in 1925. He returned to China the same year and served as a professor and director of the library at Jinling University. From 1929 to 1930, he was head of the Editorial Department at the National Library of Peiping, where he edited the Quarterly Journal of Library Science and also taught at Peking Normal... More details about Liu Guojun ++

Shengci Town: Located in the northwest of Jingjiang, approximately 11 km from downtown Jingjiang. It borders Maqiao Town to the east, Dongxing Town to the south, Xinqiao Town to the west, and Taixing City to the north. The town covers an area of 70.2 square kilometers, governs 18 administrative villages, 2 communities, and 472 villager groups, with a total population of 48,800. In 2015, the town achieved a GDP of 3.829 billion yuan, public fiscal budget revenue of 60.4 million yuan, and per capita rural income of 17,893 yuan. It won its first annual award for socio-economic development among towns in the city, concluding a successful... More details about Shengci Town ++

Further Reading:

· Sixth Batch of Protected Cultural Heritage Sites of Jiangsu Province