Former Residence of Chen Yinke

Former Residence of Chen Yinke

The former residence of Chen Yinke is a cultural tourism attraction.

The former residence of Chen Yinke is located on the second floor of Room 309, Northeast Area, at No. 135 Xingang West Road, Sun Yat-sen University Campus, Haizhu District, Guangzhou. This two-story building faces south and was donated by Mrs. McCormick of the United States in 1911, hence its name “McCormick Hall.” It originally served as the residence of Ge Libai, the principal of the affiliated middle school of Lingnan University. Later, notable professors such as Wang Jisi, Yang Guorong, Rong Geng, and Shang Chengzuo also lived here. Starting from the 1950s, Professor Chen Yinke resided on the second floor of this building for many years. Works such as *The Biography of Lady Liu Rushi* and *The Commentary on the Rebirth of the Romance* were written here. The interior is furnished as it was when Chen Yinke lived here, including the books he used.

In 1911, Mrs. McCormick from Chicago, USA, could never have imagined that the two-story red building she donated in memory of her husband would become an academic pilgrimage site. The building currently designated as Northeast Area Room 309, “McCormick Hall No. 1,” was originally the residence of Ge Libai, the principal of the affiliated middle school of Lingnan University. Before the Cultural Revolution, Mr. Wang Qi lived downstairs and Mr. Chen Yinke lived upstairs, thus forming an enduring bond with the scholars of Sun Yat-sen University.

In 1949, Lingnan University welcomed the Chen Yinke family, marking the beginning of what would be one of the brighter and more joyful periods of his later life. From 1953 to 1964, he orally narrated two major works here, *The Biography of Lady Liu Rushi* and *The Commentary on the Rebirth of the Romance*, totaling 900,000 words. In his later years, Chen Yinke suffered from retinal detachment in both eyes but could still perceive faint light. To ensure his safety while taking walks, the university specially installed fences and painted the path north of the building with white cement. Even today, as you walk along this white cement path, you can knock on the doors of the former residences of Rong and Shang. They once lived here too—one upstairs and one downstairs—like one big family. In 1983, Rong Geng passed away first, leaving behind his old friend of over sixty years. Shang Chengzuo specially instructed Rong’s wife to call him or knock on the floor if there was anything, as he could hear her. That year, Mr. Shang was already over eighty.

Today, strolling along this white cement path, you will see that “McCormick Hall No. 1” has a wooden plaque hung on the side of the door labeled “Former Residence of Chen Yinke.” The five forceful and elegant seal script characters of “Former Residence of Chen Yinke” are engraved in intaglio, filled with gold powder, and inscribed with the signature “Selected Hall, Ji Chou Year.” The calligraphy was done by Mr. Jao Tsung-I. A prolific scholar with notable achievements in art, particularly in calligraphy and painting, Jao Tsung-I's brushwork, rooted in ancient scripts, demonstrated exceptional skill in all script styles—regular, cursive, clerical, seal, and running. He is hailed as a true literati artist. With him inscribing this plaque, it couldn’t have been more fitting.

The bronze statue of Chen Yinke on the lawn in front of the building captures him seated in a rattan chair, seemingly listening or deep in thought. Time flows on, and he may no longer be able to see, but his spirit surely remains in the shade of the green trees, quietly upholding the ideals of “independent spirit and free thought”—immortal and timeless.

Location: Second Floor, Room 309, Northeast Area, Sun Yat-sen University Campus, No. 135 Xingang West Road, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province.

Transportation: Take bus routes 184, 190, 226, 250, or 69 within Guangzhou City and get off at Sun Yat-sen University Station.

Sun Yat-sen University, Northeast Area 309

Type: Historic Residence of a Celebrity

Recommended Visit Duration: 1–2 hours

Phone: 020-84112421

Opening Hours: Monday–Friday: 9:00–16:00

Ticket Information: Free admission.