Shanghai Li Hongzhang Ancestral Hall

　　The Li Memorial Hall (Li Hongzhang Ancestral Hall) is nestled within the century-old prestigious Fudan High School. Just pass through the school’s sports field and you’ll come upon the Li Memorial Hall—a classic Chinese structure with gracefully upturned eaves. The high ridgeline is adorned with carvings of dragons, along with four large characters reading “Prosperity for Ten Thousand Generations.” In front, there is a spacious and towering porch. Looking up, you’ll see four large gilded carved panels depicting scenes such as dragons and phoenixes in harmony, warriors on horseback, magpies perched on plum blossoms, and eagles soaring above pine trees—vividly rendered, giving the entire outer porch a magnificent golden splendor. Both the southern and northern sides of the building feature tall lattice wood windows, offering transparency and clarity. The interior floor is paved with “golden bricks” produced in Suzhou, while the towering pillars naturally draw one’s gaze upward toward the domed ceiling.

　　This precious building, constructed in the late Qing Dynasty, has suffered severe damage to 70% of its structure. The entire ancestral hall is noticeably tilted, with roof ridges disconnected, wooden pillars rotten, and the structure teetering. With the support and cooperation of the Municipal Cultural Relics Management Committee, the District Education Bureau, and other parties, Fudan High School undertook a comprehensive and meticulous seven-month “major restoration.” Every brick and tile, every carving inside and out, every beam and column—all exude a profound sense of antique charm, allowing visitors to appreciate the exquisite craftsmanship of artisans from the modern era. It is reported that the Li Memorial Hall will be repurposed as a historical exhibition hall for the school. After a century of vicissitudes, the Li Memorial Hall has finally been reborn.

　　The Li Hongzhang Ancestral Hall measures 144 meters in length and 58 meters in width, covering an area of 8,120 square meters. It faces south and originally had four courtyards, with 24 main rooms, 24 wing rooms, one large and one small screen wall each, and one imperial stele. The site once featured a garden, fishpond, pavilions, towers, and corridors. Today, only the main hall, the entrance foyer, and the screen wall remain, while the other structures have been demolished and replaced with buildings. The main hall faces south, with a construction area of 305.9 square meters. It features a single-eave hip-and-gable roof, small clay tiles, a post-and-lintel beam frame, a total width of five bays spanning 23 meters, and a depth of 13.3 meters.

　　Address: No. 1626 Huashan Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai

　　Transportation: Bus routes 48, 44, 113, 138, 923, and 44 Interval

　　Li Hongzhang (1823~1901)　　Li Hongzhang (February 15, 1823 – November 7, 1901), courtesy names Shaquan and Yisou, also known as Li Zhongtang and Zhangtong, was a prominent statesman of the late Qing Dynasty. He served as Viceroy of Zhili and Minister of Beiyang Trade, and was granted the hereditary title of First Class Marquis of Suyi. Alongside Zeng Guofan, Zhang Zhidong, and Zuo Zongtang, Li Hongzhang was known as one of the “Four Great Statesmen of China’s Late Qing Revival.” Together with Otto von Bismarck and Ulysses S. Grant, he was hailed as one of the “Three Great Figures of the 19th Century.” During his tenure, Li suppressed the Taiping Rebellion, participated in the Self-Strengthening Movement, actively advocated for the establishment of a modern navy, and founded the Beiyang Fleet. Ultimately, however, he had to sign a series of treaties ceding sovereignty and bringing humiliation to China—including the Treaty of Vietnam and the Treaty of Shimonoseki—as a diplomatic representative. Li... Details +