Former Site of the Executive Yuan of the Nationalist Government in Nanjing

Former Site of the Executive Yuan of the Nationalist Government in Nanjing

The former site of the Executive Yuan of the Nationalist Government was originally built by the Ministry of Railways of the Nationalist Government. It is located at No. 252 Zhongshan North Road in Nanjing, with the city’s main thoroughfare, Zhongshan North Road, to the west, Fujian Road to the south, and Sajia Wan Road to the east and north.

The Nationalist Executive Yuan was established in October 1928 (the 17th year of the Republic of China) and successively included 15 departments such as Internal Affairs, Foreign Affairs, National Defense, Finance, Education, Agriculture and Forestry, Industry and Commerce, and Judicial Administration.

From 1928 to 1931, when Sun Fo served as Minister of Railways, a plot of land measuring 69,082 square meters was purchased to construct office buildings. Designed by renowned Chinese architects such as Chen Zhi and Fan Wenxi, and constructed by the Shanghai Huagai Architecture Firm, the building was completed in May 1933. With a construction area of 8,503.7 square meters, it features a traditional Chinese palatial-style roof and a reinforced concrete structure. The building has a linear floor plan, with the main structure being three stories high plus a basement, flanked by two-story and single-story sections. The buildings are interconnected by corridors, featuring single-eave upturned corners and a Qing Dynasty-style palatial roof complete with ridge beasts. From its completion until 1937, the building was used by the Ministry of Railways of the Nationalist Government. From 1945 to 1949, it served as the office building of the Executive Yuan of the Nationalist Government.

After the liberation of Nanjing, the site was taken over by military units and later handed over to the Nanjing Political College. Currently, three traditional Chinese palatial-style buildings facing east-west and two facing north-south are preserved, covering a total area of 11,000.06 square meters with a construction area of 20,000.25 square meters. All feature double eaves, upturned corners, hip-and-gable roofs, and glazed tile ridges. The entire complex is shaded by plane trees and cedar trees.

In 2001, the site was listed as a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level.

Address: Inside the Nanjing Political College, Zhongshan North Road, Gulou District, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province

Transportation: In Nanjing, take bus routes 16, 31, 32, 34, 72, 100, 143, 151, 156, 168, 168 (shuttle), 815, 816, 816 (night air-conditioned), or Zhongliu Line, and get off at Sajia Wan Station.

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units