Former Residence of Wang Wenqing

Former Residence of Wang Wenqing

The former residence of Wang Wenqing is a Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The former residence and tomb of Wang Wenqing are located in Linggen Village, Dongcheng Town, Linhai City. The residence is situated in the central part of the village at Xinshangwu, while the tomb lies on the foothills of Dianhou Mountain, about 200 meters northwest of the residence. On February 18, 2001, it was designated as a “Linhai City Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.” On January 13, 2017, the People’s Government of Zhejiang Province announced it as the seventh batch of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Wang Wenqing (1882–1925), originally named Jun and styled Wenqing (originally Wenqing, later changed from Wenqing), was a politician and military figure in China’s modern democratic revolutionary movement, hailing from Lingzhi Linggen in Linhai. He was an influential figure during the Xinhai Revolution and co-initiated and organized the anti-Qing and anti-Yuan revolutionary movements alongside Sun Yat-sen, Huang Xing, Qiu Jin, Tao Chengzhang, and others. He held positions such as Civil Governor of Zhejiang Province, President of the Senate, and Senator of the Provisional Government in Nanjing. After his death, a street in downtown Linhai was named “Wenqing Street” during the Republican era.

The former residence of Wang Wenqing was a joint dwelling for Wang Wenqing and his younger brother Wang Zuqing. Construction began in the 14th year of the Republic of China (1925) and was completed in the 22nd year (1933), covering an area of approximately 4,000 square meters. It consists of an outer gate, courtyard, inner gate, and main house. The outer large gate faces east in a straight line, featuring a stone-framed gate tower. The lintel bears a vertical stone plaque inscribed with “Reside in Peace,” calligraphed by Zhang? [name incomplete], dated “1933, Summer, Auspicious Day, Zhang?” with two red seals beneath. The inner gate is a combination of three doors, with the central gate inscribed “Descendants of Taiyuan”; the middle main gate is gate-tower style, while the side gates are arched. The building is a three-courtyard compound, slightly west-facing to the south, with front and rear courtyards and double horse-head gables at the front and rear. Both the main house and wing rooms are two-story structures with flush gable roofs. The main house has seven rooms, each wing has three, and the side wings also have three rooms each, with six rooms in the east and west annexes, totaling 33 rooms of various sizes. The hall once displayed a wooden plaque inscribed “Yongmu Hall.” The overall architectural structure is simple, with only the column capitals and other parts carved with basic patterns. From the 1950s to the 1990s, it was used as the office of the Linggen Township People's Government of Linhai. In August 2011, municipal funds were allocated for its renovation.

Linggen Village: Located at the eastern foot of Langkeng Ridge, Dongcheng Town, Linhai City, Linggen Village belongs to the eastern section of the provincial-level central town area of Dongcheng, 14 kilometers from the town government seat and 30 kilometers from the city center. The village is named Linggen (“Root of the Ridge”) because it lies to the east of the ridge, and is also called Linggen Wang due to the fact that 90% of its residents bear the surname Wang. During the Qing Dynasty, the centenarian Wang Shifang, who lived to 140 years old—an extraordinary age—was honored with an imperial plaque inscribed “Shengping Renrui” (Prosperous Peace and Longevity) by Emperor Qianlong. In the Republican era, the village produced eight generals, including Wang Wenqing, a political figure in the Xinhai Revolution, earning it the nickname “Village of Generals.” The administrative village consists of three natural villages: Linggen, Shawan, and Waishan, with further divisions within the village such as Libwang… More details about Linggen Village ++

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units