Rui Lu Residence

Rui Lu

Rui Lu is a cultural heritage site protected by Zhejiang Province.

Rui Lu is the former residence of Gu Zongrui, located at No. 140 Dongjie, Taibai Community, Dakiqi Subdistrict, Beilun District. It faces southwest and covers an area of 263 square meters, consisting of a self-built house and an inherited house. The self-built house was built in the 1930s, featuring a traditional Chinese courtyard layout, including three main rooms, one bright side room on each side, one rear room, and one east wing room, forming a small Western-style building that blends Chinese and Western architectural elements. The inherited house was built in the late Qing Dynasty, located to the northeast of the self-built house, and is a traditional wooden single-story structure. From July to October 2014, it underwent comprehensive renovation funded by the Gu family.

Gu Zongrui (1886–1972) was a patriotic Hong Kong-based entrepreneur, former director of Taichangxiang Shipping Company, and one of the representative figures of the Ningbo business community. During his lifetime, he donated funds to build roads in his hometown. After his passing, his children honored his wish to “benefit their hometown” by establishing public welfare projects such as “Zongrui Hospital,” “Zongrui Library,” “Zhou Cuiyu Kindergarten,” and “Gu Guohe Middle School.”

As the former residence of Gu Zongrui and the hometown of the accomplished shipping brothers (Gu Guomin, Gu Guohua, and Gu Guohe), Rui Lu is not only a place deeply connected to the Gu family’s lineage but also an important site for descendants to trace their roots.

Gu Zongrui (1886–1972) founded Taichangxiang Customs Agency and was a magnate in the shipping industry during the Republican era.

He was born into a poor farming family in Daqitou Village, Zhenhai County (now Beilun District), Ningbo, Zhejiang Province. At the age of 13, he left school to work as an apprentice in Shanghai. Later, he worked at the customs office as a customs declarant. Due to his diligence and attentiveness, he was soon promoted to a supervisory role.

In 1920, Gu Zongrui resigned from his job to start his own business, founding Taichangxiang Customs Agency. Thanks to his capable management, he ventured into the then-emerging shipping industry and learned English in the process. Between 1928 and 1930, he purchased... More details about Gu Zongrui++

Gu Guomin was born in 1924 in Beilun, Ningbo, Zhejiang. He grew up and received his early education in Shanghai, witnessing the bustling commercial life of the cosmopolitan city amid a backdrop of national adversity and foreign threats.

In his youth, he aspired to pursue a career in ocean shipping. Later, he followed his father, Gu Zongrui, into the business world, working at the Shanghai Taichangxiang Shipping Company founded by his father. Through hands-on experience, he accumulated knowledge and expertise, mastering the operations and logistics of merchant vessels, thus forging an inseparable bond with the shipping industry. Throughout his life, Gu Guomin faced countless challenges yet remained devoted to the maritime sector until the end of his journey... More details about Gu Guomin++

Gu Guohua (1927–2005) was a Hong Kong-based shipping entrepreneur and served as chairman of Taichangxiang Shipping (Hong Kong) Group.

Gu Guohua was the second son of shipping magnate Gu Zongrui. He was from Zhenhai County, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province (now Beilun District). Gu Guohua received his early education in Shanghai and later studied in the United States, graduating from the Maritime Department at the University of Pennsylvania. In the late 1940s, due to the turmoil of war, Gu Zongrui relocated his family and business to Hong Kong, and Gu Guohua subsequently moved there with his family to pursue opportunities.

In the early days in Hong Kong, Gu Guohua mainly assisted his father, Gu Zongrui, in expanding the family business. Gu Zongrui... More details about Gu Guohua++

Gu Guohe (1928–1990) was from Dakiqi, Zhenhai (now part of Beilun District) and was the youngest son of Gu Zongrui, chairman of Taichangxiang Shipping Company. He received his early education in Shanghai and moved to Hong Kong with his father in 1949.

He received his early education in Shanghai and moved to Hong Kong with his father in 1949. He worked in the shipping industry and established Taichangxiang Shipping Company in Japan, later serving as chairman of Taichangxiang Shipping (Hong Kong) Limited and as an executive director of the Hong Kong Ningbo-Hong Kong Friendship Association. He was passionate about public welfare in his hometown and donated to the construction and co-construction of projects named after his parents, such as Zongrui Hospital, Zongrui Library, and Zongrui Youth... More details about Gu Guohe++

Dakiqi Subdistrict: [Basic Overview]

Dakiqi Subdistrict is located in the southern part of Beilun District, east of Yuwang Ridge, and comprises a northern coastal plain and southern hills, covering a total area of 105 square kilometers. The Development Zone (formerly the Auto Parts Park), Bonded South Area, Export Processing Zone, and Science and Technology Park are all situated within Dakiqi. The subdistrict has a permanent resident population of 58,000 and a floating population of over 80,000. It governs 40 administrative villages (with 10 villages having been merged into communities) and 6 communities. It was restructured from a town into a subdistrict in September 2003 and is currently the largest subdistrict in Zhejiang Province by area.

Dakiqi Subdistrict is... More details about Dakiqi Subdistrict++

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of Cultural Heritage Sites Protected by Zhejiang Province