Former Residence of Wu Zhensheng

Former Residence of Wu Zhensheng

The former residence of Wu Zhensheng is a Suzhou Municipal Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The former residence of Wu Zhensheng is located on Xibaihua Lane and was designated as a Suzhou Municipal Cultural Relics Protection Unit in 2004.

Wu Zhensheng (also known as Hua Yong), a native of Suzhou, was a painter in the Republican era who specialized in landscape painting. He originally lived in Taohuawu. His ancestors became extremely wealthy through the liquor and lacquer businesses. Wu Zhensheng was the fifth son, and his brothers Wu Zishen (Hua Yuan), Wu Bingyi (Hua De), and Wu Si Lan (Hua Xin) were all well-known painters in the Suzhou and Shanghai areas. In particular, Wu Zishen was as renowned as Wu Hufan, Wu Daidi, and Feng Chaoran, collectively referred to as the “Three Wus and One Feng.” The residence was independently designed by the Wu brothers and constructed by Yao Qinqi’s Yao Qinji Construction Firm of the Xiangshan craftsmanship guild. It was completed in 1931. This two-story building from the Republican period features an exterior of plain brick, a traditional Chinese roof with upturned eaves, and intricately designed openwork ridges. The interiors are exquisitely decorated, with various carved patterns adorning the doors, windows, stone railings, and outer walls.