The Gezhu Wang Residence

The Gezhu Wang Residence

The Gezhu Wang Residence is a cultural relic protection unit of Zhejiang Province.

The Gezhu Wang Residence, also known as Mingde Hall, is located at the foot of Gaoyi Mountain in Gezhu Village, Xikou Town, Fenghua District. The owner, Wang Zhennan, was the cousin of Wang Caiyu, Chiang Kai-shek’s birth mother, and once served as the head of the Judiciary Department under the Nationalist Government’s Military Advisory Council. Built in 1936, the residence was taken over by the state after Wang Zhennan relocated to Taiwan in 1949, and was returned to his son in the 1980s following policy rectification. The building faces northeast and is situated southwest, designed as a two-story, three-courtyard structure covering an area of more than 1,000 square meters, laid out in a tripod-like pattern. The main house consists of three rooms, with two wing rooms on either side and one passageway, fronted and backed by courtyards. The interior structure of the upstairs rooms is compact, with exquisitely carved components that hold significant artistic value. The overall architectural style is primarily traditional, but influenced by foreign cultures with some new elements integrated, making it a modernized改良-style building that features certain characteristics of Republican-era architecture.

The building is currently well-preserved and managed by Mr. Shan Leshui, a relative from the owner’s hometown. In January 2017, it was designated as part of the seventh batch of provincial-level cultural relics protection units by the People's Government of Zhejiang Province.

Source: Yuyao Cultural Relics Protection Office

Gezhu Village: Gezhu Village is part of Xikou Town, located in the western part of Fenghua City, bordering Yuyao to the north and Shengzhou to the west. During the War of Resistance against Japan, this area served as the base for the New Fourth Army’s Eastern Zhejiang Guerrilla Column. In 2003, it applied to become a third batch provincial-level historical and cultural reserve.

Gezhu Village is 2.5 kilometers away from Banzhu Garden, the former site of the Ban Zhu Township government, and 15 kilometers in a straight line from the Xikou National Scenic Area, both accessible by road. The area features towering mountains, steep peaks, lush forests, and bamboo groves among the hills, with crystal-clear streams flowing through the village. The surroundings are planted with peach and plum trees, which blossom together in spring... More details about Gezhu Village++

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units