Former Residence of Li Keran

Former Residence of Li Keran

The Former Residence of Li Keran is a cultural relic protection unit at the provincial level in Jiangsu Province.

The “Former Residence of Li Keran” was built in 1922 and consists of 12 rooms, featuring a traditional quadrangle courtyard structure with blue bricks and clay tiles. On April 19, 1985, the Li Keran Former Residence Management Office was officially established with the approval of the Xuzhou Municipal Compilation Committee. On October 1, 1985, the renovated “Former Residence of Li Keran” was opened to the public. Covering an area of 300 square meters with a construction area of 120 square meters, the west room was the living quarters of Mr. Li Keran’s father, Li Huichun, his mother, and elder brother Li Yongping. The north room was where his sisters Li Xuan, Li Yongzhen, Li Yongshu, Li Wan, and Li Juan lived. The south room was where Mr. Li Keran himself lived for nearly 30 years. The east room was the residence of his younger brother Li Yongxiang (also known as Ke Peng) and also served as Li Keran’s reception room. In fact, this space often became a hub for artistic activities among Li Keran’s colleagues, students, and artist friends, all of whom were among the most active figures in the Xuzhou art and literary scene at the time.

Fifth Batch of Provincial-Level Cultural Relic Protection Units in Jiangsu Province, October 2002 — Former Residence of Li Keran, built in the 33rd year of the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty (1907), located at No. 17 Guangda North Lane, Xuzhou City

Mr. Li Keran was born on March 26, 1907, in Xuzhou, Jiangsu. At the age of 13, he began studying traditional landscape painting under the local scholar Qian Shizhi. At 16, he enrolled at the Shanghai Private Art School. In 1929, he was admitted as a graduate student to the Hangzhou (International) West Lake Art Academy with outstanding results, where he studied Western painting under professors such as Lin Fengmian. In 1943, he was hired as a lecturer at the National Art Academy in Chongqing, engaging in teaching, creation, and work related to Chinese painting. In 1946, he was appointed as a professor of Chinese painting at the National Beiping Art Academy by Xu Beihong, while also studying under Qi Baishi and Huang Binhong, devoting himself to the research of traditional Chinese painting... More detailed information about Li Keran++

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Provincial-Level Cultural Relic Protection Units in Jiangsu Province