Lao She’s Former Residence in Beijing

Lao She’s Former Residence in Beijing

Lao She’s Former Residence is a national AA-level tourist attraction and a cultural heritage site protected by Beijing Municipality.

Lao She’s Former Residence, Address: No. 19 Fengfu Hutong, Dengshikou West Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing. Lao She lived in ten different places in Beijing before and after the liberation of the city—nine before and one after. No. 10 Naozi Fu Fengfu Hutong (now No. 19 Fengfu Hutong, Dengshikou West Street) was where he resided after the liberation until his passing. He lived here the longest and achieved the pinnacle of his career during this time.

“Lao She was born in Beijing, grew up in Beijing, died in Beijing, and wrote about Beijing all his life. Lao She and Beijing were inseparable—without Beijing, there would have been no Lao She.” Lao She lived in ten different places in Beijing before and after the liberation of the city, nine before and one after: No. 8 Xiaoyangquan Hutong (now Xiaoyangjia Hutong) was his birthplace; Beijing Normal School (now Yuyuan Hutong), No. 17 Primary School (now Fangjia Hutong Primary School), Yijiao Temple Apartments, Western Hills Reclining Buddha Temple, Xizhimen Children’s Library, Gangwashi Christian Church, the Education Association (now Beichangjie Primary School), and No. 6 Yantong Hutong (now No. 9 Ming) were the nine places he lived before the liberation. No. 10 Naozi Fu Fengfu Hutong (now No. 19 Fengfu Hutong, Dengshikou West Street) was where he lived for a long time after the liberation until his passing. He resided here the longest and achieved the pinnacle of his career during this time.

The current memorial museum is located in the “Lao She’s Former Residence,” which was designated as a cultural heritage site by the Beijing Municipal People’s Government in 1987. It is an ordinary quadrangle courtyard that Lao She purchased with his own money in 1950 after returning from the United States. It is situated at No. 10 Fengfu Hutong, Naozi Fu, Dongcheng District, Beijing. As a cultural heritage site protected by Beijing Municipality, Lao She’s Former Residence is a typical Beijing siheyuan (courtyard house) with a flush-gable roof, purely wooden structure, and compact layout. The main gate faces east and is topped with a gray-tiled arch, with black-painted doors. Upon entering, you’ll first see a brick screen wall decorated with a large red “Fu” (blessing) character in the center. Further inside is a small courtyard with only two southern rooms serving as the gatehouse; to the west lies a narrow courtyard that was the residence of Lao She’s son, Shu Yi. To the north is a three-sided courtyard, which forms the main part of the residence. Upon entering, you’ll see a colorful wooden screen wall. The main building in the courtyard consists of three northern rooms, each with a side room. The central room and the western side room serve as the living room, the eastern side room as the bedroom, and the western side room functions as Lao She’s study. The desk faces the east door, allowing him to easily access the books embedded in the wall cabinets. The desk, made of hardwood inlaid with marble, holds several artifacts: a seal carved for him by Qi Baishi, an inkstone box gifted by General Feng Yuxiang, and an inkstone once owned by Li Yu, a Qing Dynasty drama theorist, inscribed with “Li Yu’s Painting and Calligraphy Inkstone.” Also on display are items Lao She used in his lifetime: glasses, pens, ink bottles, ashtrays, lamps, radios, and calendars. It was in this small room that Lao She wrote famous plays such as Teahouse, Dragon Beard Ditch, The Pearl Tower, Looking West to Chang’an, and Family Happiness, as well as 23 other works, including the play Divine Fists, written in memory of his father. In addition, the space contains a wealth of folk art, essays, poetry, papers, essays, and his unfinished autobiographical novel Beneath the Red Banner. The living room displays sofas, a long case, a carved round hardwood table, stools, and a display cabinet. The sunlit windowsill and tea table to the south hold various potted plants and flowers. The west wall is adorned with calligraphy and paintings gifted by renowned traditional Chinese artists—works that Lao She loved. According to his wife Hu Jieqing, these artworks were changed every few days, and each time, Lao She would carefully admire them for a long while. Here, Lao She hosted many renowned artists and friends from China and abroad. There are three wing rooms on the east and west sides respectively. Lao She’s daughter lived in the eastern wing room, while the western one served as the dining area. In the spring of 1954, Lao She personally planted two persimmon trees in the courtyard. Every late autumn, when the trees were laden with bright orange fruits, they created a poetic scene. Hu Jieqing fondly named the place “Courtyard of Red Persimmons.”

Admission

Admission is free. Audio guide: 10 RMB, with a deposit of 100 RMB. Groups must book at least one day in advance: 010-65142612.

Opening Hours

9:00–16:30 (last entry at 16:00), closed on Mondays.

Location

No. 19 Fengfu Hutong, Dengshikou West Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing

Lao She (1899–1966)

Chinese writer. Birth name: Shu Qingchun, courtesy name: Sheyu. Lao She was his most commonly used pen name. Of Manchu ethnicity. Native of Beijing. Born into an urban working-class family.

Life and Works: Graduated from Beijing Normal School in 1918, worked as a primary school principal and an outreach officer in the northern suburbs. The democratic, scientific, and individual-liberation ideals brought by the May Fourth New Culture Movement awakened him from his previous belief in “diligently running a primary school, obediently serving parents, and dutifully marrying and raising children.” The rise of the literary revolution further propelled him...   More details about Lao She++

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Municipal Cultural Heritage Sites in Beijing