Former Residence of Wu Songping

Former Residence of Wu Songping

The former residence of Wu Songping is a cultural tourism attraction.

The former residence of Wu Songping is located at No. 117 Kunming Road, Heping District. Constructed in 1934, it was personally designed and supervised by Wu Songping himself during its construction. The exterior features sulfur-clay brick walls and a steeply pitched, sharply ridged roof, giving it a novel design with the style of a European countryside villa. In the early years, the courtyard housed a fountain, a small pavilion, and various kinds of rare flowers, plants, and trees. The elegant surroundings and uniquely styled architecture were integrated into one, making it a high-end garden villa within the former British Concession. It now serves as the “Garden Hotel” and was designated as a Tianjin Municipal Cultural Relics Protection Unit in 1997.

Wu Songping

(1882–1966), also known as Xi Zhong, was from Wuyuan. His father, Wu Tiaoqing, was one of the Four Great Compradors of Tianjin. Wu Songping was born in Tianjin, graduated from the Beiyang Police Academy, was granted the honorary title of Provincial Governor (waiting appointment), later went to the United States to study military science, and upon returning to China, served as the Head of the Shanxi Provincial Education Department. After the fall of Tianjin to Japanese forces, he served as an executive director of the Japanese-funded Dahu Oil Company.

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Wu Tiaoqing (1850–1928), also known as Mao Ding or Yin Bo, was from Wuyuan, Jiangxi. He was an important figure in modern Chinese history who played roles both in government and business. He held positions such as Chief Comprador of the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) in Tianjin, Director of the Railway Bureau for the Railways Inside and Outside the Passes, and Director of the Imperial Agricultural, Industrial and Commercial Bureau in Beijing. After the failure of the Hundred Days' Reform, he withdrew from politics and engaged in industry in Tianjin, founding some of China’s earliest factories producing matches, velvet textiles, and tanned leather. He was a pioneering figure in Tianjin’s financial and industrial sectors. In 1882, he established the Tianjin branch of HSBC and served as its Chief Comprador, later being appointed as an acting provincial road intendant of Zhili … More details about Wu Tiaoqing ++