Zhou Fohai’s Former Residence in Nanjing

Zhou Fohai’s Former Residence in Nanjing

Zhou Fohai’s Former Residence in Nanjing

On the bustling east side of the central section of Zhongshan North Road in Nanjing, a quiet alley branches off diagonally. Not far inside the alley, behind some residential houses, two Western-style buildings shaded by pine and cypress stand out among the nearby cluster of high-rises, exuding an old-world charm. This was once No. 8 Xiliuwan (now the rear of No. 8 and No. 9 Xiliuwan, with the main entrance located inside the former State-owned Dongfang Dyeing Factory at No. 150 Zhongshan North Road)—Zhou Fohai’s Former Residence.

After the outbreak of the September 18th Incident in 1931, various warlord factions and political groups, under the banner of "jointly alleviating national crisis," launched a new round of power struggles. Zhou Fohai, who had squeezed into Chiang Kai-shek’s think tank and was known as the "literary brain," rose sharply in status within the Nanjing cooperative government reorganized by Chiang and Wang due to his loyalty to Chiang. He not only served as a member of the Jiangsu Provincial Government and head of the Education Department but also donned the hat of Minister of the Central Department of Civilian Training.

At that time, high-ranking officials and dignitaries in the capital, Nanjing, were caught up in a trend of acquiring land and building mansions. Zhou Fohai, unwilling to be left behind, searched with his wife Yang Shuhui and eventually settled on Xiliuwan. Construction of the Zhou residence began in early April 1932, was completed by the end of November, and the family moved in by December. Zhou’s residence at No. 8 Xiliuwan was surrounded by ponds on three sides, with green bamboo and weeping willows reflecting on the spring waters, resembling a "hidden paradise."

Upon entering the main gate, one faces a spacious courtyard. Passing through a small round door by the courtyard leads to the garden. Inside the garden, clusters of flowers and trees, bizarre rocks, and winding paths create a secluded atmosphere. A faint fragrance wafts through the air when the breeze blows. Beneath the central flower stand, there are three basement rooms. Behind the garden, a two-story and a three-story Western-style building stand facing each other. One corner of the three-story building juts out elliptically, showcasing exquisite design. The two buildings are richly carved and painted, indescribably beautiful, totaling 22 rooms. In addition, there are six sections of Western-style bungalows with 28 rooms.

When Zhou Fohai was exhausted from political struggles and factional conflicts, No. 8 Xiliuwan became his sanctuary for rest and recuperation.

In 1937, when the War of Resistance Against Japan broke out, the Japanese army, unable to capture Shanghai after prolonged attacks, frequently sent planes to harass Nanjing. At the time, very few luxurious residences of the elite had basements. Many people connected to Zhou Fohai often sought refuge in his home during air raids. Among them, military figures included Gu Zhutong, Xiong Shihui, Zhu Shaoliang, and Li Mingyang; civilian figures included Mei Siping, Tao Xisheng, Luo Junqiang, and Hu Shi. Gao Zongwu, head of the Asian Affairs Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, visited daily, and someone recently released from prison also came a few times. Among them, Tao Xisheng, Li Mingyang, Mei Siping, and Xiong Shihui, who were closely associated with Zhou, even stayed at his home to discuss the "prospects of the resistance." They viewed resisting Japan as "playing with fire" and advocated for "ending the Sino-Japanese incident at an appropriate time." They viciously attacked the soldiers and civilians resisting the war, labeling the call for a comprehensive and sustained war against Japan as "high-sounding rhetoric." At the same time, Zhou Fohai blatantly stated, "At a time when the call to resist to the bitter end was being chanted loudly, no one dared to advocate for the low tone of peace. Therefore, our small group advocating peace was named the 'Low-Tone Club,' and this elegant title was given by Hu Shi." No. 8 Xiliuwan became the headquarters of the "Low-Tone Club," and many members of this group later went down the path of betraying their country.

In early 1948, Zhou Fohai suffered a recurrence of heart disease. On February 28, after a bout of agony, Zhou Fohai, with blood flowing from his mouth and nose, died in Tiger Bridge Prison, unable to return to Xiliuwan. His body was hastily buried in Yong’an Cemetery in Tangshan. Overgrown weeds and desolate ruins completely buried a once-prominent figure. (Zhu Baoqin, Huang Wanrong)