Former Residence of Yong Jianqiu

Former Residence of Yong Jianqiu

The Former Residence of Yong Jianqiu is a protected cultural heritage site of Tianjin.

Former Residence of Yong Jianqiu

Era: 1920

Address: No. 60-62 Machang Road, Heping District, Tianjin

Category: Important Modern Historical Site and Representative Architecture

The building is bordered by Xinhua Road to the east, Machang Road to the south, Hebei Road to the west, and Munan Road to the north. It is a three-story structure with a brick-and-wood frame, covering a construction area of 1,728 square meters. The exterior walls are entirely finished with cement, featuring a tiled pitched roof with overhanging eaves. The entrance on the first floor is a rectangular arched doorway, while the second floor has balconies on both sides of the string course, with cement floral-patterned railings. On the side elevations, there are square corner turrets protruding on the left and right, each with a side door below. The first and second floors have larger volumes, with a symmetrical layout on the main façade, while the third floor recedes inward in the middle, creating a strong sense of layering. It is an example of eclectic-style architecture. The building is currently in good condition.

Yong Jianqiu (1875–1948), also known as Tao, was from Gaoyou, Jiangsu. As a teenager, he studied English in Shanghai, attended a British missionary school in Hong Kong in his early years, and later enrolled at the University of Singapore. In 1898, he returned to Shanghai. During the 1900 Boxer Rebellion, he served as a translator for the "Charity Group for Relief of Northern Refugees." In 1911, he became the deputy director of the Tianjin Mint. Later, he became the comprador for the German trading firm Carlowitz & Co., dealing in Krupp arms and becoming the largest arms broker in China. He was once awarded a medal by Yuan Shikai. After Yuan’s death, Yong Jianqiu moved from Beijing to Tianjin in 1918 and began... More details about Yong Jianqiu++

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of Protected Cultural Heritage Sites of Tianjin