Former Residence of Cai Chengxun

Former Residence of Cai Chengxun

Located on Singapore Road in the former British Concession, now No. 1 Dali Road, Heping District (formerly 33rd Road), this was the residence and ancestral hall of Cai Chengxun. The building is a mansion-style structure featuring a blend of Chinese and Western architectural styles. The courtyard is spacious, enclosed by tall walls, and the vermilion gate exudes an air of luxury and solemnity. The main building within the courtyard, serving as the residence, is a three-story brick-and-wood Western-style structure designed in the French Romanesque style. It covers a construction area of 2,100 square meters. The main entrance is flanked by symmetrical wings, and the exterior façade features gray brick walls adorned with white window lintels. The third floor is equipped with platforms that protrude from the eaves.

The interior decoration of the main building also combines Chinese and Western characteristics. The interior consists of large open-plan rooms, each serving different functions, all furnished with hardwood floors and wainscoting, and the staircases are also made of solid wood. Among them, the partition walls on the first floor feature intricately carved redwood floor-to-ceiling screens in the shape of moon gates, considered rare masterpieces of fine craftsmanship. The overall impression upon entering the building is one of elegance, nobility, luxury, and comfort. To the west of the main building lies a row of single-story structures built in the style of Chinese temples, which remain well-preserved to this day (currently located within the Tianjin Medical Emergency Center). These buildings served as the ancestral hall constructed by Cai Chengxun for ancestor worship. Initially, they shared the same courtyard with the main building but were later separated by a wall after the establishment of the People’s Republic of China. Additionally, there was originally a temple-style building on the east side of the main structure, but it was demolished progressively before 1988 and replaced by a modern scientific research office building.

Cai Chengxun (1871–1946), courtesy name Huchen, was a military man from Tianjin County, Zhili. He graduated from the Beiyang Military Academy in 1900. In 1912, he was promoted to commander of the First Army Division. After Feng Guozhang acted as provisional president in Nanjing in 1917, Cai was appointed military governor of the Suiyuan Special Region and became a key figure of the Zhili clique. On May 14, 1921, when Jin Yunpeng officially became Premier and formed his cabinet, Cai Chengxun served as Minister of War until he was replaced by Bao Guiqing on December 25, 1921. On June 15, 1922, following an order from Cao Kun, Cai Chengxun led his troops to take over the position of Jiangxi Military Governor from Chen Guangyuan... More details about Cai Chengxun ++