Shaoxing Zhou Enlai Memorial Hall

Shaoxing Zhou Enlai Memorial Hall

The Shaoxing Zhou Enlai Memorial Hall is a national AAA-level tourist attraction and a classic red tourism destination.

Shaoxing is the hometown of Zhou Enlai. The Shaoxing Zhou Enlai Memorial Hall is located at No. 369 Laodong Road in the urban area. It was built on the site of Zhou Enlai’s ancestral home and former residence — a traditional Ming-Qing style compound known as a “tai men” building. Facing south, the memorial has a layout structured along three axes, covering an area of 3,800 square meters with a construction area of 2,100 square meters. It is now a cultural heritage conservation unit and a patriotic education base in Zhejiang Province.

Zhou Enlai’s ancestral home, “Baishou Tang” (Hall of Hundred-Year Longevity), is located on present-day Laodong Road in Shaoxing, formerly known as Baoqiao He Yan (Baoqiao Riverside) or Duomuqiao Tou (Duomu Bridgehead). When exploring the Bazhijiao (Eight-Arched Bridge) neighborhood, you’ll find Zhou Enlai’s ancestral home not far away. Walk west along Changqiao Straight Street, cross Zhongxing Road, and you’ll soon see the ancestral home after entering Laodong Road. If you take a bus and get off at Jiefang Road City Square Station, you should visit the ancestral home first before exploring the Bazhijiao neighborhood.

The ancestral home is a brick-and-tile house facing south with architectural features from the Ming Dynasty. The five large characters “Zhou Enlai’s Ancestral Home” above the entrance gate were written by Comrade [Zhou Enlai]. Originally named “Xiyang Tang” (Hall of Nourishing Hope), it was renamed “Baishou Tang” (Hall of Hundred-Year Longevity) after one of Zhou Enlai’s ancestors, a woman surnamed Wang, lived to be 100 years old and was honored with a plaque by the then-Zhejiang Governor as the “Mother of a Hundred Years.” The house has undergone several renovations, but its style and structure have largely remained intact. Zhou Enlai’s ancestors had lived here for generations until his grandfather moved to Huai’an when he took up an official post in Jiangsu.

Zhou Enlai’s ancestral home consists of three sections separated by courtyards, with stone corridors connecting both sides. The overall structure is neat and features a solemn, simple style with strong local characteristics of Shaoxing. Due to years of neglect, Baishou Tang once suffered damage. After 1949, both the government and local residents repeatedly requested that the home be repaired and restored, but these efforts were discouraged by Comrades [Zhou Enlai] and [Deng Xiaoping]. In the late 1950s, after minor renovations, the home was handed over to the state for use according to Zhou Enlai’s wishes. In the 1980s, the local government carried out a comprehensive renovation of Baishou Tang, restoring it largely to its original appearance. In 1998, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Zhou Enlai’s birth, further renovations were made, the Zhou Enlai Memorial Hall was expanded, and later additions included the Zhou Enlai Memorial Square.

Zhou Enlai’s ancestral home is in Shaoxing, though he was born in Huai’an, Jiangsu. However, many experts have presented new evidence suggesting that Zhou Enlai was actually born in Shaoxing, with Huai’an being where he grew up — which may remain a historical mystery. Based on currently available information, Zhou Enlai devoted his life to China’s revolution and construction. He only returned to Shaoxing once, from March 28 to 31, 1939. At that time, Zhou Enlai visited Shaoxing in his capacity as Deputy Minister of the Political Department of the National Government Military Commission to promote resistance against Japan and engage in revolutionary activities. During this visit, accompanied by relatives, he also paid respects at the family gravesite, added his and Zhou Enlai's names to the family genealogy, and left behind a number of inscriptions and photos, expressing his deep affection for his fellow townspeople. These vivid and meaningful events are displayed in the Exhibition Hall of Zhou Enlai’s Life and Deeds. The small room, less than 10 square meters in size, located on the left side of the courtyard in front of the Inscription Hall, is where Zhou Enlai stayed during his 1939 visit to Shaoxing.

Opening Hours

8:00–17:00

Location

No. 369 Laodong Road, Yuecheng District, Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province