Former Residence of Lü Simian

Lü Simian’s Former Residence

Lü Simian’s Former Residence is a cultural relic protection unit of Jiangsu Province.

The former residence of Lü Simian is located at No. 8–12 Shizi Street in Changzhou.

The residence faces south and consists of four courtyards, each featuring a central patio and flower stands, creating an atmosphere of classic elegance and scholarly charm.

When registered in 1937, the property was owned by "Lü Chengzhi" (Chengzhi being the courtesy name of Lü Simian), covering a total area of 2.058 mu. It faces Shizi Street to the south, with residential buildings to the north and west, and the Jvqianjie Subdistrict Office to the east. It is less than 50 meters east of Jincheng Middle Road. Lü Simian’s father once mortgaged the eastern part of the residence to someone else, and the whole family lived in the western section. It was not until the later stage of the War of Resistance Against Japan that Lü Simian reclaimed it for personal use. After the liberation, some parts of the residence (a total of 10 rooms) were used by the military. On May 31, 1952, Lü Simian submitted a written request to the Civil Affairs Department of the Changzhou Municipal Government asking for the return of the property due to its dilapidated condition. The document included phrases such as "this house is nearly a hundred years old and was not originally a well-built structure," from which it can be inferred that the residence was likely built in the early 1850s (the early years of the Xianfeng reign in the Qing Dynasty), during the time when his grandfather, Lü Maoxian, served as magistrate of Fengxin County, Jiangxi. The current residence consists of four courtyards and 21 rooms, all built in the Qing Dynasty using brick and wood in a flush-gable roof style. From south to north, they are: the first courtyard with a gatehouse facing Shizi Street; the second courtyard with a three-room main hall and a rear reversing room; the third courtyard containing a guest hall with one bedroom on the east and one on the west — Lü Simian was born in the western bedroom and spent his childhood living and studying there; the fourth courtyard is a two-story building with three bays. To the east of the patio in front of the building is a wing room connected to the eastern bedroom, where over 20 boxes of Lü Simian’s collected ancient books, documents, calligraphy and paintings, and daily necessities are preserved. In December 1987, the municipal government designated it as a cultural relic protection unit of Changzhou. It has since been restored by the Municipal Cultural Relics Management Committee Office. The vermillion plaque inscribed with “Former Residence of Lü Simian” was handwritten by the renowned historian Zhou Gucheng, and the site is now open to the public, featuring an exhibition on Lü Simian’s life and academic achievements.

On December 19, 2011, the People’s Government of Jiangsu Province listed it as a cultural relic protection unit in the seventh provincial batch.

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units in Jiangsu Province