Former Residence of Su Buqing

Former Residence of Su Buqing

The former residence of Su Buqing is a protected cultural heritage site of Zhejiang Province.

The former residence of Su Buqing is located in Tengdai Village, Tengjiao Town, Pingyang County, Zhejiang Province, backed by Qingzhi Mountain (also known as Woniu Mountain). It is a traditional wooden single-story house inherited from ancestors, built in the late Qing Dynasty, with a width of five bays. In the 1940s, Su Buqing’s elder brother, Bu Gao, added two more rooms to the eastern side, with the end bay serving as a pavilion. Oriented from northeast to southwest and covering an area of 3,500 square meters. On the west side, ancient vines twist around the structure, while in front of the house stands a rare tree—a banyan embracing a loquat. The backyard has a well with water as clear as a mirror, cool in summer and warm in winter. The residence is enclosed by walls on all sides, with the gate slightly to the west, a spacious front courtyard, and a deep, tranquil backyard—typical of a rural dwelling in southern Zhejiang.

The front courtyard features a low, simple yet dignified gate tower constructed of wood and covered with green tiles. Hanging prominently above the gate is a gilded plaque inscribed with the characters “Former Residence of Su Buqing,” personally written by Hua Guofeng, former President of China. Couplets expert Chen Zhishi composed a pair of verses for the gate tower: “Azaleas cast overlapping shadows; Fragrant grasses spread endlessly.”

Stepping through the gate tower, a cement path comes into view. As you walk toward the historic house, the first thing that catches your eye is a serene and wise half-length stone statue of Mr. Su. The base of the statue is engraved on its left, right, and front sides with inscriptions in Chinese, English, and Japanese, recounting Mr. Su’s lifelong dedication and scientific achievements. Thirty meters further along the path, a seven-bay wooden house appears. Its roof is covered with aged green tiles, and the eaves on both sides curl upwards gracefully.

Upon entering the main hall, a peaceful portrait of Mr. Su hangs above, evoking reverence as one contemplates his noble character—his passion for science and indifference to fame. Suspended above the hall is a plaque gifted by the Su clan during Mr. Su’s centennial celebration, inscribed with the gilded characters “Celebrating a Centenarian.” Two pillars display a couplet: “A master of the classics, rivaling great scholars; A sage of longevity, passing down rare teachings.” The two side rooms on the right include a廉政 education room (unfortunately locked and not open to the public today) and the office of the residence manager. The three side rooms on the left form the “Su Buqing Exhibition Room,” with a finely carved wooden room at the corner.

Stepping into the first exhibition room, the walls display a brief biography of Su Buqing’s life, as well as photos from his childhood and youth. The images depict amusing episodes from his childhood and scenes of him studying while herding as a boy. In his youth, he composed an aspirational poem in the courtyard: “The clear stream may serve as a belt; The tall bamboos, as whips; I’ll lead the reclining ox and go—To plow the fields of the world.” From a young age, Mr. Su used poetry to express his aspirations. Here, we can almost envision a young farm boy leading an ox to the grassy banks of Dai Stream—the ox grazing while he studies. When tired, he would watch fish and stones in the stream or lie on the grass, gazing at the clouds, immersed in nature’s serene embrace.

Entering the second exhibition room, the walls feature images chronicling the growth of Su Buqing, hailed as “the first geometer of the East.” The photos show the young Mr. Su diligently studying and deeply immersed in scientific research. Among them is a powerful couplet written in his own hand: “Diligence is the path up the mountain of books; Hard work is the boat across the sea of learning.” Is this not the perfect reflection of his journey? In his teenage years, Su Buqing relentlessly pursued knowledge and truth. At 17, he resolutely went to study in Japan. There, through hardship and perseverance, he earned his Ph.D. in Science from Tohoku University in 1931. After graduation, he firmly declined lucrative offers from prestigious Japanese universities and returned to China to dedicate himself to mathematics research, becoming a pioneer of differential geometry in China and the world.

In the third exhibition room, the walls display images highlighting Mr. Su’s academic accomplishments, particularly his lifelong dedication and contributions to education. Mr. Su passionately mentored young talents, earning widespread acclaim across China’s educational community for his selfless dedication. He served as Associate Professor, then Professor, Department Head, and Dean of Academic Affairs at Zhejiang University. After 1952, he became Dean of Academic Affairs, Director of the Mathematics Institute, Vice President, and eventually President and Honorary President of Fudan University. In 1955, he was appointed as an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (member of the Division). In 1962, he also became Vice President of the Chinese Mathematical Society, and in April 1988, he was elected Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, becoming one of the nation’s leaders. He trained nearly a thousand outstanding students, including Zhang Sucheng, Fang Dezhi, Xiong Quanzhi, Wu Zuji, Bai Zhenguo, Yang Zhongdao, Gu Chaohao, and Hu Hesheng, making tremendous contributions to China’s economic development and national prosperity.

Strolling through the courtyard, you’ll find a rectangular pond recently dug on the left side of the house. The backyard is filled with tall, lush bamboo, and beyond the bamboo grove lies a grassy clearing with an ancient well where the water is as clear as a mirror. Legend says this well was the source of inspiration in Mr. Su’s youth—locals call it the “Well of Wisdom,” though that’s a story for another time. He often sat by the well to read and reflect, and when tired, he’d take a sip of the cool water to refresh himself. On the right side of the residence stands a peculiar ancient tree. The residence manager explained that it’s a symbiotic “banyan-embracing-loquat” tree, with the banyan on the south and the loquat on the north, their trunks seamlessly fused. Gazing at this century-old tree, one can almost hear the laughter of the Su brothers playing in their childhood and the sound of them reading aloud in the morning.

On January 7, 2011, it was announced as part of the sixth batch of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Heritage Sites.

Tengjiao Town: Known as the “Hometown of Chinese Chess” and a Zhejiang Provincial Historical and Cultural Reserve — Tengjiao Town is located in the northwest of Pingyang County, at the junction of Pingyang, Rui’an, and Wencheng counties, 62.5 kilometers from downtown Wenzhou. Provincial Highway 57 runs through the town, making it the northwestern gateway to Pingyang. Covering an area of 37.8 square kilometers, the town administers 4 offices, 6 residential areas, 44 administrative villages, and has a total population of 45,000. Originally named Zhengjiabao, Tengjiao is a town rich in history and talent. Historically, it was home to Lin Jingxi, a patriotic poet of the Southern Song Dynasty; in modern times, Bai Cheng’en, an eminent general of the later Taiping Rebellion; and today, includes figures such as the Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the CPPCC... [More info on Tengjiao Town++]

Further Reading:

· Sixth Batch of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Heritage Sites