Suzhou Nanshe Memorial Hall

Suzhou Nanshe Memorial Hall

The Suzhou Nanshe Memorial Hall serves as a patriotic education base.

The Nanshe Memorial Hall is located within the Zhang Guowei Ancestral Hall on Shantang Street in Suzhou. On November 13, 2009, the "Centennial of Nanshe" was commemorated, and on this significant day, the "China Nanshe Memorial Hall," situated in the Zhang Guowei Ancestral Hall on Shantang Street, was officially opened.

Nanshe was a cultural organization that once exerted significant influence on China’s modern and contemporary history. It was founded in Suzhou on November 13, 1909, with initiators including Liu Yazi, Gao Xu, and Chen Qubing. Influenced by the Tongmenghui (Chinese Revolutionary Alliance) led by Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the name "Nanshe" carries the meaning of "upholding southern tones, not forgetting one’s roots." It advocated for national integrity and played a crucial role in shaping public opinion in the lead-up to the Xinhai Revolution.

The restoration project of the Nanshe Memorial Hall retained the original ancient architecture as the main axis, while adding an entrance hall, pavilions, and a western hall, forming a basic layout of “two routes and three courtyards.” In front of the entrance hall, the four-pillared "Zepei Southeast" stone memorial archway was restored according to old photographs. The restored Nanshe Memorial Hall covers a planned land area of 1,500 square meters, with a building area of 1,000 square meters. The entire first floor has been designated as an exhibition area, displaying historical materials related to Nanshe. It also serves as a long-term, free-admission patriotic education base open to the public.

Among the many precious historical materials exhibited at the Nanshe Memorial Hall, the most treasured is a commemorative album signed by seventy leaders and scholars in response to an initiative led by Mao Zedong, who inscribed a message for Liu Yazi. This is the only replica produced by the Museum of the Chinese Revolution for this purpose. In addition, the museum displays a wealth of valuable items, including Nanshe Collections, Biographies of Nanshe Figures, Collection of Li Ze Ci Poetry, and the original inscription by Dr. Sun Yat-sen titled “Preface.” It also houses personal artifacts once used by Nanshe members such as Chen Qubing and Liu Yazi.