Former Residence of Wu Xiaobang

Former Residence of Wu Xiaobang

The former residence of Wu Xiaobang is a protected cultural heritage site of Jiangsu Province.

The former residence of Wu Xiaobang is located on Baiyun Road in Shaxi Town, Taicang City. It is a two-story Western-style building constructed in 1927. From 1927 to 1928, Wu Xiaobang lived here while teaching at the Second Branch of Taicang County Junior High School during his return to his hometown. In 2000, the residence was opened to the public, featuring an exhibition on Wu Xiaobang’s life and achievements. Wu Xiaobang (1906–1995), a native of Shaxi, was a pioneer, trailblazer, and practitioner of China’s new dance art, as well as a dance performer, theorist, and educator. He once served as chairman of the China Dancers Association, a member of the second, third, fifth, and sixth National Committees of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), and a member of the Party Leadership Group of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles (CFLAC). Influenced by the May Fourth New Culture Movement during his youth, Wu actively participated in patriotic and progressive activities. In January 1938, he joined the New Fourth Army’s battlefield service troupe in Nanchang. In June 1945, he taught at the Lu Xun Academy of Arts in Yan’an, later instructing dance at the propaganda teams of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Military District and the Northeast Democratic Allied Army’s General Political Department. He joined the Communist Party of China in June 1949.

Historical Background:

It was listed as a cultural heritage site of Taicang City in 2006.

Current Condition:

The former residence of Wu Xiaobang is a two-story European-style building with twelve rooms, including a living room, master bedroom, storage room, bathroom, dining room, and kitchen. The living room is equipped with a fireplace, and the original rooftop platform was built as a watchtower, offering views of the entire Shaxi area. The windows consist of three layers: louvers, screens, and glass. The corner wooden staircase is intricately carved, sturdy, and majestic. Both floors have wooden flooring, and the courtyard features colorful mosaic tiles that have retained their original appearance despite over eighty years of weathering. The structure remains largely intact. Inside, there are also two calligraphy and artwork pieces created by Wu Xiaobang.

In December 2011, the Jiangsu Provincial People’s Government designated it as part of the seventh batch of provincial-level cultural heritage sites.

Shaxi Town: A town under the jurisdiction of Taicang City. An industrial hub in Taicang. It was known as Yinxi Town in 1949, renamed Shaxi Town in 1953, placed under Shaxi Commune in 1958, re-established as Shaxi Town in 1963, and merged with Shaxi Township in 1991. Located in the western part of the city, it is 14 kilometers from downtown. Covering an area of 32.3 square kilometers with a population of 39,000, it is traversed by the Qian (Jing)–Shaxi and Zhi (Tang)–Lu (He) highways. The Hengli and Qipu rivers run through the area with docks available. It administers Tai Dong, Sha Xing, Bai Hua, Tu Song, Tao Wan, Yin Bei, Sha Bei, Hong Jing, Dong Jing, Ban Jing, Zhong He, Da Tong, Fu Qiao, Lou… For more detailed information about Shaxi Town ++