Former Residence and Tomb of Shao Zuozhou

Former Residence and Tomb of Shao Zuozhou

The Former Residence and Tomb of Shao Zuozhou is a cultural relic protection unit of Anhui Province.

Former Residence and Tomb of Shao Zuozhou

Shao Zuozhou, whose given name was Yun Chao and courtesy name Banqing, moved with his father to Gansu during his childhood while his father was stationed there in an official capacity. He studied under his father and harbored aspirations of being ever-ready for battle. In 1863, his father died in the flames of the Muslim Rebellion, after which he returned home to continue his studies. However, dissatisfied with the local Confucian scholars’ lifelong obsession with rote classical learning, he lamented, “In these remote and impoverished areas, we suffer from having no proper guidance to follow,” and thus went to study in Hangzhou. There, he became friends with scholars such as Zhao Zhiqian and Cheng Pushun, devouring all kinds of literature and mastering whatever he read at a glance. He also studied the collected works of Gong Zizhen, developed a keen interest in current affairs, yet repeatedly failed the imperial examinations. In 1882, he took up a position at the Tianjin Branch Response Bureau, where he developed a particularly close relationship with the bureau’s general manager, Li Xingrui, who relied entirely on Shao for official duties. From then on, Shao became even more dedicated to studying contemporary issues and wrote Shao’s Radical Words (《邵氏危言》), which enlightened the public and advocated learning from the West; the work was widely circulated. Officials like Tao Mo wanted to recommend him to the imperial court, but Shao preferred to remain a behind-the-scenes aide. He also wrote Eight Essays on Prose (《论文八则》), offering incisive insights into the history and techniques of classical Chinese writing, and is regarded as a forerunner of “essay studies.” On the eve of the First Sino-Japanese War, he “advised Li Hongzhang (Li Wenzhonggong) to station troops at Pikou,” but “was not heeded. He even presented diagrams to explain his point, but still could not persuade him.” “Soon after, the Japanese indeed attacked Pikou, and people between Beijing and Tianjin said he had predicted events like a god—both acquaintances and strangers alike came to know his name.” After the Sino-Japanese War, he believed that although peace had been achieved, “poor governance persisted, the roots of chaos remained unaddressed, and great disorder might soon erupt in the Beijing-Tianjin area.” Disillusioned, he passed away on New Year’s Day in 1898 while serving in Tianjin. Shao Zuozhou, Hu Chuan, and Cheng Bingzhao were known as the “Three Eccentrics of Jixi” in the late Qing Dynasty.

Shao Zuozhou’s Former Residence: Located to the left of No. 101, Fushang Village, Fuling Village, Fuling Town, Jixi County, the residence was built during the Guangxu period of the late Qing Dynasty, covering an area of 179.21 square meters. The residence faces south and has two courtyards: the front courtyard consists of the main hall, wing rooms on the east and west sides, and a two-story building with a front patio. The second-floor windows and doors are intact, with exquisitely carved details. The rear courtyard includes auxiliary rooms, and to the left of the main hall is a side room that served as Shao Zuozhou’s reception parlor—a two-story structure decorated with latticed partitions upstairs. The left side of the parlor features decorative openwork windows with an ice-crack pattern, along with a front patio. On the right side of the parlor, there is a side door leading outside. The entire reception area is elegantly decorated. In front of the main hall lies a small courtyard, with a kitchen located to its left. According to Shao family descendants, the house was designed by Shao Zuozhou himself, with construction costs amounting to approximately 3,000 taels of silver. The entire structure is well-preserved and holds significant cultural heritage value.

Shao Zuozhou’s Tomb: Situated in Fushang Village, Fuling Village, the tomb faces Mount Taiping and overlooks the upper reaches of the Dengyuan River. Nestled amid green hills and clear waters, the surrounding environment is pristine. The tomb is built in the style of a house using blue bricks, with exterior white plaster walls, a roof covered with small blue tiles, and horse-head walls as decoration. Covering an area of 9.52 square meters, the tomb was built in the late Qing Dynasty and underwent renovation in 1965. The tombstone is inscribed in semi-cursive calligraphy; though the characters have become blurred over time, the inscription “Zuozhou Shao Banqing, Lord of the Estate” remains clearly legible. As the tomb of a notable figure, it holds certain preservation value.

Shao Zuozhou (1851–1898) was one of the “Three Eccentrics of Jixi” in the late Qing Dynasty and a native of Fulingxia.

Given name Yun Chao, courtesy name Banqing. Moved with his father to Gansu during his childhood while his father was stationed there in an official capacity. He studied under his father and harbored aspirations of being ever-ready for battle. In 1863, his father died in the flames of the Muslim Rebellion, after which he returned home to continue his studies. However, dissatisfied with the local Confucian scholars’ lifelong obsession with rote classical learning, he lamented, “In these remote and impoverished areas, we suffer from having no proper guidance to follow…” He then went to study in Hangzhou, where he became friends with scholars such as Zhao Zhiqian and Cheng Pushun. He read extensively and had an exceptional memory; he also studied the collected works of Gong Zizhen, developed a strong interest in current affairs, yet repeatedly failed the imperial examinations… More details about Shao Zuozhou ++

Fuling Village: Located in the eastern part of Jixi County, approximately 23 kilometers from the county seat, Fuling Village is the seat of the Fuling Town government. It was formed in 2003 through the merger of five natural villages: Fushang, Fuxia, Zhuoxi, Banjing, and Xin Bridge. The village covers an area of 11 square kilometers, comprises 9 villager groups, and has a total of 1,170 households with a population of 4,009. There are 4 Party branches, with a total of 98 Party members as of the end of 2011. The village has 2,939 mu of arable land and 27,862 mu of mountainous land.

The Fushang and Fuxia natural villages of Fuling Village are ancient, single-surname settlements of the Shao family, historically known as Wen Chuan, with a long history. To the north… More details about Fuling Village ++