Former Residence of Martyr An Xingsheng

Former Residence of Martyr An Xingsheng

The former residence of Martyr An Xingsheng is a Tianjin municipal cultural relics protection unit and a patriotic education base.

The former residence of Martyr An Xingsheng is located in Zhonghetou Village, Shuangkou Town, Beichen District. It was burned down by Japanese invaders in 1938, rebuilt on the original site in 1947, and underwent three rounds of renovation and expansion in 1995, 2001, and 2006 with a total investment of over one million yuan from the Beichen District Committee and District Government. The outer courtyard park of the residence covers an area of 500 square meters, while the inner courtyard has a construction area of 304 square meters, divided into a main hall and east and west exhibition rooms. The main hall restores and displays the family furnishings and daily necessities used by Martyr An Xingsheng during his lifetime. The west hall focuses on showcasing the glorious life of Martyr An Xingsheng from his student days to his heroic martyrdom, featuring audio commentary materials totaling over 7,000 words. In the center of the inner courtyard stands the "Monument to Martyr An Xingsheng" embedded with an inscription personally written by Comrade Deng Yingchao, along with a white marble bust. The newly renovated former residence of Martyr An Xingsheng features an antique style, profound cultural significance, rich exhibits, and a clear theme. More than 50 informative exhibition boards have been thoughtfully designed and produced to illustrate the life of Martyr An Xingsheng.

An Xingsheng (1902–1927), born on September 9, 1902, was a native of Zhonghetou Village, Beichen District, Tianjin. In 1918, he was admitted to the First Provincial Middle School of Zhili in Tianjin (now Tianjin No. 3 Middle School) with outstanding academic performance. In October 1919, he co-founded the New Life Society with fellow students such as Yu Fangzhou. Later, under the guidance of Li Dazhao, he founded the magazine New Life and served as its editor-in-chief. In the winter of 1921, An Xingsheng led struggles in his hometown against the authorities’ unreasonable levies of the “charcoal tax” and the “butcher’s tax.” He joined the Communist Party of China in 1922 and was responsible for the work of the Tianjin branch of the Chinese Labor Secretariat. An Xingsheng was one of the earliest organizers and leaders of the agricultural, industrial, and student movements in Tianjin. On August 14, 1924, he became the head of the Tianjin Anti-Imperialist Alliance. During the May Thirtieth Movement, he led the Tianjin seamen’s strike. In August of the same year, he was appointed head of the Tianjin General Labor Union. In 1927, he served as a member of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the CPC and head of the Organization Department. In November of that year, he was arrested and executed by the Fengtian warlords in Beijing.

The former residence of Martyr An Xingsheng was burned down by Japanese invaders in July 1938. In 1940, members of the An family rebuilt it, constructing a building with blue bricks, tiles, and wooden structure on a site of five mu. In 1997, the former residence of Martyr An Xingsheng was designated as a municipal-level patriotic education base by the Tianjin Municipal Committee and Municipal Government. In 2006, the Beichen District Committee and District Government carried out comprehensive maintenance of the former residence, restoring parts of its original appearance and expanding the activity space.

Address of the Former Residence of Martyr An Xingsheng: Zhonghetou Village, Shuangkou Town, Beichen District. Open from 9:00 to 16:00, Monday to Friday.