Former Residence of Shen Junru

Former Residence of Shen Junru

The Former Residence of Shen Junru is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The memorial site dedicated to commemorating the great patriot and outstanding democratic fighter, Mr. Shen Junru, is located in the southern part of Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province. It is housed within Shen Junru’s former residence.

Shen Junru (1875–1963), courtesy name Bingfu, art name Hengshan, was a native of Jiaxing, Zhejiang. He evolved from a scholar-official who passed the imperial examinations into a staunch democrat, then became a close comrade-in-arms of the Chinese Communist Party and an outstanding non-Party communist fighter. After the founding of New China, Shen Junru served as the first President of the Supreme People’s Court, Vice-Chairman of the First, Second, and Third National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Vice-Chairman of the First and Second National People’s Congress Standing Committees, and Chairman of the Central Committee of the China Democratic League. He was one of the highly respected elder statesmen of China.

The Former Residence of Shen Junru was built in the late Qing Dynasty and features characteristics of traditional architectural cultures from both the Taihu Lake Basin and the Xin’an River Basin. With its white walls and black tiles, the structure is simple and elegant, holding certain historical and artistic value. It is a Zhejiang Provincial Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit. In late 1996, the Jiaxing Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government, based on proposals and motions from city deputies and CPPCC members, decided to restore the former residence and sought approval from the General Office of the Central Committee. On February 2, 1997, the General Office of the Central Committee approved the establishment of the “Former Residence of Shen Junru in Jiaxing, Zhejiang.” On August 1, 1997, the restoration project of the former residence officially commenced. By May 1998, the first phase of the restoration was completed, with a construction area of 740 square meters, including the ceremonial gate, front hall, rear building, and east and west wing rooms. From July to December 1999, the Jiaxing Municipal Government further invested in restoring the main gate of the residence, which had been destroyed during the Anti-Japanese War by Japanese air raids. This brought the total area of the residence to 2,100 square meters, with a construction area of 1,200 square meters.

To honor the great and glorious life of Mr. Shen Junru, promote his patriotic spirit and noble character, inspire the love for the Party and the nation among the people of Nanhu, Jiaxing, and educate future generations, the Jiaxing Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government decided to open the restored residence as a memorial museum. Thus, they actively carried out various preparatory tasks for the museum alongside the restoration. Throughout the preparation of the memorial museum, leaders at all levels, as well as ordinary citizens who revered Mr. Shen Junru, gave strong support to this endeavor. Comrade [Name Redacted] personally inscribed the museum name, while Comrade [Name Redacted], then Chairman of the CPPCC, wrote the plaque for the residence. Dozens of Party and state leaders successively contributed calligraphy to the museum, and hundreds of painters and calligraphers from across the country donated their artworks. The Central Committee of the China Democratic League, the relatives of Mr. Shen Junru, and his former staff members also showed immense enthusiasm for the museum's establishment. They donated a large number of personal artifacts and historical materials belonging to Mr. Shen Junru free of charge, ensuring the smooth development of the museum’s exhibition work.

On June 11, 1998, on the 35th anniversary of Shen Junru’s passing, the Shen Junru Memorial Museum was grandly opened in Jiaxing. Since then, another significant national patriotic education base has been added by the beautiful South Lake of Jiaxing, the birthplace of the Chinese Communist Party.

As the Shen Junru Memorial Museum is built upon the site of his former residence, all its functional facilities are arranged according to the layout of the residence. The front hall displays a bronze statue of Mr. Shen Junru for public veneration, with walls showcasing inscriptions by Party and state leaders for the museum. The rear building of the residence serves as the main exhibition hall of the museum. The main exhibit, “The Great Patriot — Shen Junru,” uses a wealth of accurate and vivid physical images, photos, and historical materials to authentically present the life and legacy of Mr. Shen Junru. It reflects his unwavering pursuit of truth and lifelong dedication to the independence, democracy, peace, and freedom of the motherland, extolling his immortal achievements recorded in history.

The museum is open year-round without closing at noon and offers paid guided tour services. Since its opening, the Shen Junru Memorial Museum has focused on patriotic education, using physical historical exhibits as the main educational content. It actively and effectively conducts patriotic and revolutionary tradition education for a wide audience, especially young students, becoming a second classroom that complements school moral education. It has increasingly become an important venue reflecting Jiaxing’s urban development and excellent humanistic spirit education, demonstrating commendable social impact.

On October 7, 2019, the Former Residence of Shen Junru was included in the eighth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Shen Junru (1875–1963), a native of Jiaxing, Zhejiang, courtesy name Bingfu, art name Hengshan, was a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations during the late Qing Dynasty. He studied in Japan in his early years. After returning to China, he participated in the Xinhai Revolution. In 1912, he joined the Chinese Revolutionary Alliance (Tongmenghui). During the May Fourth Movement, he wrote articles advocating new morals and new culture. He once served as a member of the National Assembly, Chief Prosecutor of the Guangdong Military Government Procuratorate, and Dean of Academic Affairs at Shanghai Law University.

Chronology of Life

Shen Junru was exceptionally intelligent from childhood and was known for composing poetry at the age of seven (actually five years old). Xu Zhimo was his cousin’s son.

By the age of 13, he had compiled a collection of poems.

At 15, he passed the imperial examination for xiucai (a scholar) … More detailed information about Shen Junru ++

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Eighth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units