Former Residence of Qiu Jin in Zhuzhou

Former Residence of Qiu Jin in Zhuzhou

The former residence of Qiu Jin in Zhuzhou is a cultural relic protection unit of Hunan Province.

The former residence of Qiu Jin in Zhuzhou is located at Qingshuitang Subdistrict Office, Shifeng District, Zhuzhou City, dating back to the Qing Dynasty.

Before the Cultural Revolution, the residence was well-preserved, but it was later damaged due to renovations by four different organizations that used the site. It has now been restored and opened to the public as a patriotic education base and a red tourism attraction.

In 1896, Qiu Jin’s father arranged for her to marry Wang Zifang, the son of a wealthy family in Xiangtan County. The bridal chamber was what is now known as the Former Residence of Qiu Jin in Zhuzhou (Zhuzhou was under the jurisdiction of Xiangtan County at the time). At that time, it was called “Dachong Villa.” Qiu Jin named it “Huai Ting,” which is now Dachong Village, Qingshui Subdistrict, Shifeng District, Zhuzhou City. Here, Qiu Jin raised a son and a daughter; her son was named Wang Yuande, and her daughter was named Wang Canzhi.

While living here, Qiu Jin often read writings by Tan Sitong, Chen Tianhua, and others, which inspired her revolutionary ideas. She empathized with the suffering of the people, continued to study and practice martial arts, and associated with righteous individuals. From here, she went abroad to study in Japan, resolutely joined the revolutionary movement, and became a heroic figure and legendary female warrior. In her short life, she waged arduous struggles for the nation and ultimately sacrificed her young and precious life.

According to the October 1977 issue of Hunan Literature published in Taipei: In 1939, at the request of the then head of Zhaoyang Township, Wang Yuande unconditionally donated “Dachong Villa” to Xinqun Middle School as school buildings, only asking that one room be reserved as the “Qiu Jin Memorial Hall” to commemorate his mother.

In 2019, the former residence of Qiu Jin in Zhuzhou was approved as part of the tenth batch of provincial-level cultural relic protection units in Hunan Province.

Qiu Jin (1875–1907), female, originally named Guojin, courtesy name Yuzhen, childhood name Yugu, later changed her name to Jin, courtesy name Xuanqing, also known as Jingxiong or “Jianhu Female Knight,” with the alias “Hanxia Daughter” and also signed as Qianqian. Her ancestral home was in Lizi (Fufu), Shanyin, Shaoxing, and she was born in Minhou County, Fujian.

The Qiu family was a prominent clan in Shanyin, with several generations of officials. Since childhood, she enjoyed poetry and literature, admired swordswomen, and had a bold and unrestrained personality. As she grew older, she learned martial arts such as stick fighting, horseback riding, and swordplay from her fourth cousin, developing a strong-willed character. In the early summer of the 17th year of the Guangxu reign (1891), Qiu Jin followed her grandfather Qiu Jiahe back to Shaoxing and lived in Hechang Hall, south of Shaoxing City. The following year… More details about Qiu Jin ++

Dachong Village: Dachong Village… More details about Dachong Village ++

Further Reading:

· Tenth Batch of Provincial-Level Cultural Relic Protection Units in Hunan Province