Former Residence of Tong Dizhou

Former Residence of Tong Dizhou

The former residence of Tong Dizhou is a cultural relic protection unit of Zhejiang Province.

Tong Dizhou, courtesy name Weisun (1902–1979), was a native of Tong Village, Tangxi Town, Yinzhou District. Over the course of a half-century scientific career, a series of major discoveries and breakthroughs established him as a founding figure in China’s developmental biology and the pioneer of experimental embryology, earning him recognition among the world’s top 100 scientists. After the establishment of the People’s Republic, Tong Dizhou served successively as professor and vice president of Shandong University, deputy director of the Institute of Experimental Biology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, director of the Institute of Oceanology and the Institute of Zoology, and later as vice president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. In his biological research, he published over 70 papers and monographs, making significant contributions to embryological theory, the control of harmful organisms, the farming of economically valuable aquatic animals, and the breeding of new fish varieties.

The residence is located on the western side of Xianxi within the village. The existing structure features a late Qing Dynasty architectural style and follows the traditional Chinese courtyard layout with brick-and-wood construction. The main building faces south and is a two-story house with five bays and two lanes in width, and five columns and seven rafters in depth, with a single-step beam in the front corridor. The front section is a single-story building with three bays in width and three columns and five rafters in depth. The east and west wing rooms are low single-story houses, each with four bays in width and three columns and five rafters in depth. The surrounding eaves are paved with long strip-shaped step stones, while the central courtyard is laid with pebbles arranged in floral and ruyi (auspicious) patterns. The entire building complex is neatly and orderly arranged, using modest materials with simple yet durable decorations, exemplifying a typical vernacular dwelling in the form of a traditional southern Chinese water town courtyard. Today, the former residence of Tong Dizhou, having withstood the test of time, appears rather worn, and it still retains old items from Tong Dizhou’s childhood such as a cool bed, a writing desk, and chairs.

In 2010, the Yinzhou District government allocated special funds for a comprehensive restoration, after which it was designated as a district-level cultural relic protection unit. It is currently under application for recognition as a national key cultural relic protection unit.

Tong Dizhou (1902–1979), courtesy name Weisun, was a biologist and educator from Yinxian County, Zhejiang Province.

Tong Dizhou enrolled in Ningbo Normal School in 1918, studied psychology in the Philosophy Department at Fudan University in Shanghai in 1922, and went to Belgium and France for further studies in 1930 with the support of relatives and friends, where he earned a doctorate. In 1934, despite the looming threat of Japan’s imminent large-scale invasion of China, he resolutely gave up the superior working and living conditions abroad and returned to his homeland to serve as a professor in the Biology Department at Shandong University. After the outbreak of the War of Resistance against Japan, he subsequently worked at… [More details about Tong Dizhou]++

Tong Village: Originally named "Tongjia’ao," Tong Village is located at the foot of Jinshan Mountain, upstream of the Meixi Reservoir. With beautiful scenery and a pleasant environment, the village has a long history and was one of the earliest settled clans in Tangxi. During the Tang and Song dynasties, officials and monks surnamed Tong migrated from Jiaxing Prefecture to escape turmoil, becoming the founding ancestors of Chijin. To date, the village has a history of more than 1,000 years. The majority of the villagers share the surname Tong. In this century, Tong Village gained widespread fame as a “Village of Professors,” having produced over 70 professors or professorial figures, including the renowned biologist Tong Dizhou. The village covers an area of 9.5 square kilometers… [More details about Tong Village]++

Further reading:

· Sixth Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Zhejiang Province