Former Residence of Mao Dun in Wuzhen (Mao Dun Memorial Hall)

Former Residence of Mao Dun in Wuzhen (Mao Dun Memorial Hall)

The Former Residence of Mao Dun (Mao Dun Memorial Hall) is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The former residence of Mao Dun in Wuzhen, Tongxiang City, Zhejiang Province, is where he was born and spent his childhood and adolescence. Mao Dun (Shen Yanbing), a pioneer of the May Fourth New Culture Movement, a great revolutionary writer, and one of the earliest members of the Communist Party of China, lived here. The Mao Dun Residence is located at No. 17 Guanqian Street, Wuzhen, Tongxiang City, Zhejiang Province.

Mao Dun's Former Residence in Wuzhen

The residence was originally built in the mid-19th century. It is a two-courtyard, four-bay wooden structure facing the street, divided into eastern and western sections, covering a construction area of 444.25 square meters. Around 1885, Mao Dun’s great-grandfather purchased the house as a residence. Behind the building is a garden about half an acre in size, where Mao Dun’s great-grandfather once built three single-story houses. In the early 1930s, Mao Dun used his royalties and personally designed the sketches to renovate it into a study with Japanese-style residential features, covering a construction area of 104.92 square meters.

Mao Dun lived in this residence for thirteen years from his birth in 1896 until he left his hometown for school in 1909. In 1983, the restoration of Mao Dun’s Residence was approved by the central government. It was renovated and restored according to the appearance it had during Mao Dun’s childhood. In April 1985, a member of the Standing Committee of the Politburo Central Committee personally inscribed the plaque “Mao Dun’s Residence.” Mr. Qian Juntao donated a bronze bust of Comrade Mao Dun sculpted by Mr. Zhang Chongren. It was unveiled and opened to the public on July 4 of the same year, on the 89th anniversary of Mao Dun’s birth. In January 1988, it was designated as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit by the State Council. The restored Mao Dun’s Residence recreates the living environment of Mao Dun’s childhood.

On July 4, 1991, the "Lizhi Academy" adjacent to the east side of the residence, known as the "Place Where Mao Dun Studied in His Childhood," was restored with funding to preserve the original appearance of Mao Dun’s alma mater and to achieve harmony with the surroundings of Mao Dun’s Residence. The restored "Lizhi Academy" features the theme of "The Path Taken by Mao Dun." It displays a large number of precious photos, manuscripts, original books and periodicals, inscriptions, letters, and some personal belongings from Mao Dun’s life. It also preserves and exhibits his earliest handwritten manuscript—an essay he wrote at age 13—and his final handwriting. It systematically introduces the revolutionary and literary activities of Comrade Mao Dun throughout his life.

Since its official opening on July 4, 1985, Mao Dun’s Residence has, under the care and attention of leaders at all levels, focused on cultural relics protection and site development. It has actively carried out external publicity, promoted patriotic themes, and achieved significant progress in all aspects. It has become an important venue for educating the public, especially young people, in revolutionary traditions, patriotism, and literature, playing a major role in social education. The main exhibition, "The Path Taken by Mao Dun," promotes and introduces Mao Dun’s glorious life achievements, great literary accomplishments, and noble revolutionary spirit. It reflects the hardships, struggles, and hard-won successes of China’s revolutionary journey through the growth and endeavors of Mao Dun’s life. This helps the public cherish the nation’s legacy even more, strengthens historical responsibility and national pride, and encourages greater dedication to the socialist modernization of the motherland and adherence to the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Through the influence of Mao Dun as a notable figure, the visibility of Wuzhen, Tongxiang, has been greatly enhanced both nationally and globally. From its opening on July 4, 1985, to the end of 2003, the residence received 3.34 million visitors from all walks of life. In 1995, Mao Dun’s Residence was named a Zhejiang Provincial Patriotic Education Base by the Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee and the People’s Government of Zhejiang Province.

Type: Celebrity Residence

Recommended Visiting Time: 0.5 hours

Phone: 0573-88711377; 0573-88711638

Opening Hours:

Peak Season: 7:00–18:00; Off-Peak Season: 7:00–17:30

Ticket Information:

No separate ticket required. Included in the Wuzhen Scenic Area ticket.

Mao Dun (July 4, 1896 – March 27, 1981), originally named Shen Dehong, used the pen names Mao Dun, Langsun, Xuanzhu, Fangbi, Zhijing, Pulao, Weiming, Shen Zhongfang, Shen Mingfu, among others. His courtesy name was Yanbing, and he was from Tongxiang City, Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province.

Mao Dun was born into a family with rather progressive ideas and received a modern education from an early age. He later enrolled in the preparatory course at Peking University and, after graduation, worked at the Commercial Press. From then on, he embarked on the path of reforming Chinese literature and art. He was a pioneer of the New Culture Movement and a founding figure of Chinese revolutionary literature.

Mao Dun was also a... [Detailed Information on Mao Dun++]

Wuzhen Town: Wuzhen — a historic water town in the Jiangnan region, known for its cultural heritage and as a famous tourist destination.

For generations, the people of Wuzhen have lived quietly on this fertile land, creating a happy life with their diligence and wisdom. Since opening as a tourist town in 2001, the once quiet streets and alleys of Wuzhen have welcomed batches of domestic and international tourists. This Jiangnan town quickly rose to fame and became renowned both at home and abroad. The unprecedented development of the tourism industry has also driven the growth of Wuzhen’s primary and secondary industries. In recent years, the Wuzhen Town Party Committee and government... [Detailed Information on Wuzhen Town++]

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units