Former Residence of Weng Wenhao

The Former Residence of Weng Wenhao

The former residence of Weng Wenhao is a Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Heritage Site.

The former residence of Weng Wenhao is located at No. 11 Dàshuyuàn Lane, Haishu District, and is a provincial-level cultural heritage site. It currently consists of well-preserved traditional wooden residential structures spanning three courtyards and a small Western-style tripartite courtyard building. Among these, the small Western-style house served as the living quarters of Mr. Weng Wenhao. Built during the Republic of China era, the building faces east and covers an area of 660 square meters, with a rectangular floor plan and a traditional tripartite courtyard layout. It is a Western-style brick-concrete structure building with Roman architectural elements. The red and gray polished bricks are exquisitely crafted, giving the building high architectural art value.

Weng Wenhao (1889–1971), also known as Cúnzhāng, with the courtesy name Yǒngní and the pseudonyms Jūndá and Quòshì, was born in Shíyàn Village, Qíyáng Township, Yínxiàn County, Zhejiang Province (now part of Ningbo). He was China’s first geological Ph.D. and one of the founders of modern Chinese geography. With profound expertise in geology, he authored numerous works and made significant contributions across various branches of the field, achieving many “firsts.” In the discipline of ore deposit geology, he was the first in China to propose the term “metallogenic series.” His research on metallogenic regularities opened up new directions for mineral exploration in China and had a lasting impact on future generations. In earthquake geology, he was the first scholar to study China’s seismic geology. In structural geology, he was among the earliest to explore the developmental history of China’s landforms and proposed the existence and geological significance of the Yanshan Movement in China. In orography, he accurately summarized the topography and origins of China’s mountain ranges. In geographical theory, he co-authored the “New Map of the Republic of China 1934” with Ding Wenjiang, which was China’s first modern atlas based on survey data, using contour lines and hypsometric tints. He also trained the first generation of Chinese geologists. Additionally, he placed great emphasis on popularizing geological education. Weng Wenhao made unprecedented contributions to China’s geology, laying the foundation for the nation’s geological endeavors and scientific progress.

In summary, the former residence of Weng Wenhao is not only a memorial site dedicated to a renowned geologist but also an outstanding example of modern architecture in itself, rich in historical and cultural significance and of high preservation value.

Weng Wenhao (1889–1971), courtesy name Yǒngní, was a native of Yínxiàn County (now part of Ningbo), Zhejiang Province. Born into a family of gentry and merchants, he studied geology in Belgium during the late Qing Dynasty and earned a doctoral degree in science, returning to China in 1912. He was a prominent scholar during the Republic of China period and one of China’s earliest and most distinguished geologists, making outstanding contributions to geological education, mineral exploration, and earthquake research in China.

He was China’s first Ph.D. in geology, author of the country’s first “Lectures on Geology,” the first Chinese scholar to write a mineral resources report, and the creator of China’s first colored national geological map... More details about Weng Wenhao ++

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Heritage Sites