Former Residence of Yan Jici

Former Residence of Yan Jici

The former residence of Yan Jici is a cultural relic protection unit of Zhejiang Province.

The former residence of Yan Jici is located in Hengdian Town, Dongyang City, dating back to the Republican era.

As a founding figure in modern Chinese physics, Yan Jici is widely regarded as rational and wise. What is less known is that in his personal life, he was deeply emotional and passionate. In his hometown, Xiawu Yan Residential Area in Hengdian Town, two of his former residences are still preserved—one is the ancestral home, where he was born, and the other is a wellness residence he built for his mother together with his wife Zhang Zongying. The latter was known as the most beautiful house in the entire village at the time.

On January 23, 1901, Yan Jici was born in a three-courtyard house in Xiawu Yan. This small nine-room three-courtyard house was built by Yan Jici’s great-grandfather, facing southwest and covering an area of 206 square meters. His great-grandfather opened a traditional Chinese medicine shop called “Huiyuan Hall” on Houcenshan Mountain in Hengdian during the Tongzhi era of the Qing Dynasty. Owing to his reputable medical ethics and skills, the shop attracted many customers, gradually bringing prosperity to the family, which then built this residence in their hometown.

The small three-courtyard house features a brick-and-wood structure, flush gable roof, post-and-lintel framing, white walls with black tiles, and exquisitely carved woodwork. The courtyard walls are painted with ink wash paintings—the central one depicts teaching children and grandchildren to study, while the side ones bear inscriptions reading “One’s spirit in life should remain composed; quarreling over a dead duck is senseless,” advising against emotional disputes. There are also four freehand ink sketches illustrating “Red peonies planted in spring, green lotuses released in summer pools, white chrysanthemums blooming in autumn gardens, and red plum blossoms emerging on winter ridges.” The style is elegant, symbolizing noble purity.

In 1935, the ancestral home became crowded due to a growing family. To provide a more spacious living environment for his mother, who had worked hard all her life, Yan Jici sent his savings from royalties and salary back to Dongyang, asking his younger brother Yan Jihuo to oversee the construction of a quadrangle courtyard.

The quadrangle courtyard follows the traditional Dongyang residential style of “thirteen rooms,” consisting of two courtyards with connected second-floor rooms on all sides, forming a typical “horse-riding building.” Above the main gate is a stone engraving reading “Star of the Guest Shines Bright,” referencing an anecdote in which Yan Jici’s distant ancestor Yan Ziling, while sharing a bed with Emperor Guangwu, casually placed his foot on the emperor’s stomach. This act was reported to the imperial astronomer as “a guest star invading the imperial constellation urgently.” To locals, these four characters symbolize exceptional talent akin to an extraordinary star. Stepping into the courtyard, one is greeted by the breeze and moonlight, with the fragrance of books filling the air. Whether it’s the inscriptions “Pillow on History” and “[Illegible] Classics” above the side gates, or the carved lattice doors featuring the Six Arts—“Rites, Music, Archery, Charioteering, Calligraphy, and Mathematics”—and the “Civil and Martial Merits” decorative panels, all reflect Yan Jici’s deep hope for his family’s emphasis on education.

Between the ancestral home and the former residence stands a tall cypress tree, planted by Yan Jici in 1996 when he returned to his roots. From 1950 to 1996, Yan Jici returned to his hometown ten times. After 1958, for various reasons, he did not return for 28 years. In 1982, he wrote to the leaders of Dongyang County and his alma mater, Dongyang High School, expressing that his hometown was “haunting his dreams.” In 2011, the former residence of Yan Jici was listed as a cultural relic protection unit of Zhejiang Province. The following year, a newly discovered minor planet was named “Yan Jici Star” in honor of this modern physics giant. However, just as those heartfelt and beautiful French love letters are no longer remembered, this traditional dwelling in the rural parts of Dongyang has also fallen into silence, struggling against the erosion of time.

On January 7, 2011, it was announced as part of the sixth batch of cultural relic protection units of Zhejiang Province.

Hengdian Town: Located in central Zhejiang Province, Hengdian Subdistrict governs 67 administrative villages, 41 neighborhood committees, and has a population of 86,000. In 2001, it achieved a total industrial and agricultural output value of 10 billion yuan, with an average per capita income of 7,820 yuan for residents. It is an important high-tech industrial city in the province, known as the “Magnet Capital of China” and the “Oriental Hollywood.”

Hengdian World Studios is world-renowned, featuring over 10 uniquely styled film and television tourism bases. With a serious commitment to historical accuracy and a seamless blend of realism and artistry, it recreates the rich cultural landscapes of various Chinese dynasties and diverse aspects of life, showcasing grandeur... More details about Hengdian Town++

Further Reading:

· Sixth Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Zhejiang Province