Former Residence of Qi Baishi

Former Residence of Qi Baishi

The former residence of Qi Baishi is a national AA-level tourist attraction and a cultural heritage site protected by Beijing Municipality.

The former residence of Qi Baishi is located in the middle section of Yu’er Hutong, adjacent to Nanluoguxiang to the east.

It is said that this house was originally the residence of a chief minister of the Imperial Household Department during the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty, later divided and sold. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, it was purchased by the Ministry of Culture to serve as the home of the painter Qi Baishi. However, as the elderly artist missed his old residence in Xicheng District, he did not stay here for long and soon moved back west. This place was then converted into the Qi Baishi Memorial (established during his lifetime). During the Cultural Revolution, the memorial was abolished and repurposed as the Beijing Painting Academy. It now houses the Chinese Painting Department of the Beijing Painting Academy and the Beijing Artists Association.

The residence was built in the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty. Courtyard No. 13 is only part of the original property and is a relatively intact single courtyard. It faces south and has one main gate (not the original), along with two wing rooms at the rear. Inside the courtyard, there are three rooms each on the south, north, east, and west sides, all featuring flush-gable roofs with double tiles and ridges, and front corridors. The central bays of the corridors have spandrel brackets, while the end bays have hanging lattice panels above and bench-style railings below. The rooms are connected by corner corridors. The north room has three wing rooms on both the east and west sides, while the south room connects to three reverse-slope wing rooms on the west. Each room features exquisite brick carvings at the corners, and the walkway panels between corridors display calligraphy and seal engravings in brick. The central bay of the north room has a wooden partition screen with carved couplets. On the west wall of the southern side of the west wing room, there is a brick carving that reads “Purple Air Comes from the East.”

The brick and wood carvings in this courtyard hold significant artistic value. On January 21, 1986, it was designated as a cultural heritage site protected by Dongcheng District.

Address: No. 13, Kuaiche Hutong, within Pica Hutong, Xicheng District

Nature: Key cultural heritage site protected by Beijing Municipality

The residence faces east and covers an area of 204 square meters. It is a compound with a three-sided courtyard and an additional annex. Qi Baishi lived here from the age of 50 until his passing. The three northern rooms were once the “Bai Shi Painting Studio,” also known as the Iron Fence House due to the iron railing installed in front. Under the eaves of the north room hangs a horizontally inscribed plaque in seal script that reads “Bai Shi Painting Studio,” measuring 3.3 meters in length and 0.84 meters in height, personally engraved by Qi Baishi. The large characters are still faintly visible.

The residence’s gate faces east and consists of a courtyard with east, west, and north rooms, covering an area of approximately 600 square meters. The three northern rooms were Qi Baishi’s studio, bedroom, and dining room during his lifetime. After the July 7th Incident of 1937, Qi Baishi, who relied on selling paintings for a living, shut himself off from visitors here. He refused requests for paintings from Japanese puppet officials, big and small, and did not sell any paintings, demonstrating noble national integrity. According to Qi Liangchi, Qi Baishi’s sixth son and a renowned painter who currently resides in the residence, Qi Baishi created over 20,000 paintings here. When the Japanese invaded Beiping, he painted “Group of Rats” to satirize the Japanese invaders. To criticize the corruption of old bureaucrats, he painted “Tumbler Dolls” and crab paintings inscribed with “Let’s see how long you can swagger.” After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, he painted “Long Live the Motherland.” During the Korean War, he painted peace doves for charity sales to express his deep love for the country. After Qi Baishi’s passing, his descendants, including sons, daughters, and grandchildren, lived in the residence. Now, the residence is almost surrounded by high-rise buildings. The Kuaiche Hutong outside the gate has largely disappeared. The hutong to the north has been blocked off, leaving only a short section to the south, with the residence being the only remaining household. For safety reasons, the residence remains closed at all times. When the author arranged an interview, Qi Liangchi repeatedly instructed: “Call when you arrive so I can open the door for you. Otherwise, it’s hard to get anyone to answer.”

Qi Liangchi, 80 years old and heir to his father’s painting, calligraphy, seal engraving, and poetry, holds positions such as President of the Beijing Qi Baishi Art Research Association and President of the Furen Calligraphy and Painting Research Association. Asked what his father left behind in the residence that he found most unforgettable, he cited his father’s lifelong frugality. Qi Baishi even saved the packaging paper of the rice paper used for painting, sketching designs on the wrappers—many of which became treasured works. On one such piece, he painted “Offering Longevity to the Immortals” and inscribed: “It’s a fine draft for those capable of appreciating it.” When asked about how his 12 children and descendants had carried on his artistic legacy, Qi Liangchi explained that four of his children continued his work: third son Qi Liangji, daughter Qi Liangzhi, youngest son Qi Liangmo, and himself. Among the grandchildren, Qi Zhanyi and Qi Bingshu carried on the tradition. Qi Liangchi also mentioned that the “Beijing Qi Baishi Modern Art Center,” organized by the Beijing Painting Academy, has received attention and support from the Beijing Municipal Party Committee leadership and is currently selecting a location on Chang’an Avenue.

Address: No. 13, Kuaiche Hutong, Xicheng District, Beijing

Type: Celebrity former residence

Recommended visiting time: About 1 hour

Opening hours:

(Tuesday–Sunday) 9:00–17:00; Closed on Mondays

Ticket information:

Door price: 5.0 RMB

Qi Baishi (January 1, 1864 – September 16, 1957) was originally from Dangshan, Suzhou, Anhui Province, but was born in Xiangtan Prefecture, Changsha (now Xiangtan, Hunan).

His original name was Chunzhi, courtesy name Weiqing, and pseudonym Lanting. Later, he changed his name to Huang, courtesy name Bingsheng, and adopted the art names Baishi, Baishi Shanweng, Laoping, Esou, Jieshan Yinge Zhuozhe, Jipingtang Shang Laoren, and Sanbai Shi Yin Fuweng.

He was a modern Chinese painting master and a world cultural figure. In his early years, he worked as a carpenter before making a living by selling paintings. After the age of 57, he settled in Beijing. Skilled in painting flowers, birds, insects, fish, landscapes, and figures, his brushwork was bold and rich, and his colors...  More detailed information about Qi Baishi++

Further reading:

· Third Batch of Municipal Cultural Heritage Sites in Beijing

· Sixth Batch of National Key Cultural Heritage Sites