Former Residence of Zhang Ruiting

Former Residence of Zhang Ruiting

The former residence of Zhang Ruiting is a cultural tourism attraction.

The residence of Zhang Ruiting is located at No. 9 Huayuan Road, Heping District, on the right bank of the Haihe River. Built in 1922, it is a mixed-structure building with Nordic architectural features, partially three stories high with a basement, covering a land area of 2,322 square meters and a construction area of 2,324 square meters. The front part of the residence consists of the main building and front yard, while the rear, adjacent to Yingkou Road, includes a row of single-story buildings and a backyard, with a total of 47 rooms. The building has exterior corridors on three sides, and the entrance is accessed via high steps leading to a large terrace, flanked by doors that open into a semicircular floral hall. Inside the hall are four octahedral columns with eight-lobed capitals, and a fountain is set between the columns as a decorative highlight. The interior is exquisitely decorated, with the floral hall featuring a black-and-white marble floor, and the stained glass windows depicting scenic landscapes. The central upper part of the roof is designed in a mansard style reminiscent of the Mansard roof. The parapet is adorned with bottle-shaped balustrades. On either side of the hall are a salon, dining room, and reception room; the second floor also has a central hall surrounded by bedrooms and bathrooms, while the third floor includes bedrooms and a large terrace. The courtyard contains rockeries and flower stands, making it a high-end garden residence. It now houses the Tianjin Federation of Industry and Commerce.

At the age of 15, he worked as an apprentice for a boat owner in Xiaozhan, often delivering military supplies to the training camp of Yuan Shikai’s army in Xiaozhan. He later expanded his business to contracting military uniforms and gear for the army, such as producing all the uniforms for the Northeast Army. Zhang thus built his fortune and went on to establish the Hengyuan Canvas Mill, producing and supplying canvas fabric himself. Later, through an agreement, he merged with Zhili Textile Mill to form Hengyuan Textile Co., Ltd. (Hengyuan Textile Mill).

In 1930, Zhang also took over Beiyang Textile Mill, becoming a renowned industrial and commercial figure of the time. Zhang Ruiting was passionate about education. He once donated 100,000 yuan to the Nankai School's education fund. When constructing school buildings, Nankai... More details about Zhang Ruiting ++