Former Residence of Wang Jingwei in Nanjing

Former Residence of Wang Jingwei in Nanjing

Former Residence of Wang Jingwei in Nanjing

The former residence of Wang Jingwei was originally the home of Chu Minyi. The site is located at what was formerly No. 34 Yihelu, built in October 1936. It was a gift from Chu Minyi, then Vice President of the puppet Nationalist Government’s Executive Yuan, to Wang Jingwei. The property spans 2.3143 mu, about 1,542.8 square meters, and includes a grand three-story Western-style house with 35 rooms, 10 Western-style bungalows, and 2 garages, totaling 8 buildings with 49 rooms, covering a floor area of 1,218.2 square meters.

Wang Jingwei held various positions during the Japanese occupation period, including President of the Executive Yuan of the puppet Nationalist Government in Nanjing, Commander-in-Chief of the Military Affairs Commission, and Chairman of the Nationalist Government.

Wang Zhaoming (May 4, 1883 – November 10, 1944), courtesy name Jixin, pen name Jingwei, is historically known as "Wang Jingwei." His ancestral home was Shanyin, Zhejiang (now Shaoxing), and he was born in Sanshui, Guangdong (now part of Foshan). In his youth, Wang Jingwei was known for his handsome appearance and was regarded as one of the "Four Handsome Men of the Republic of China." His daring attempt to assassinate the Qing Regent Zaifeng earned him nationwide admiration.

However, during the Sino-Japanese War that followed, Wang Jingwei openly defected to Japan and accepted Japanese support to establish the "Wang Jingwei regime." As a result, he was viewed by the majority of Chinese compatriots who were determined to resist the war as a quintessential traitor. After China’s victory, both the Nationalist Government and later the People’s Republic of China government spared no effort in criticizing him politically and educationally. To this day, the image of Wang Jingwei as a traitor remains deeply rooted in public consciousness. Nevertheless, the motivations and intentions behind Wang Jingwei’s defection to Japan, and whether they align with those of a treasonous collaborator seeking personal gain, still await clarification through historical research.

Wang Jingwei (1883–1944), whose given name was Zhaoming and courtesy name Jingwei, was from Panyu, Guangdong. He was born in Sanshui, Guangdong, with ancestral roots in Wuyuan, Anhui (now part of Jiangxi), later moving to Shanyin, Zhejiang (now Shaoxing). Chen Bijun, female, was originally from Xinhui, Guangdong, and was born into a wealthy family of overseas Chinese in Malaya.

In the 29th year of the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty (1903), Wang passed the imperial examination for government-sponsored study in Japan, enrolling in the Tokyo College of Law and Politics. In the 31st year of Guangxu, he joined the Tongmenghui (Chinese Revolutionary Alliance) and served as head of its Evaluation Department. In November of that year, he became the chief editor of the newspaper Min Bao. In the 32nd year of Guangxu (1906), ... More detailed information on Wang Jingwei ++