The Former Residence of Sheng Xuanhuai

　　The century-old Huaihai Road showcases not only Shanghai’s vibrancy and fashion but also its classic elegance. Situated to the east of the Shanghai Library at No. 1517 Middle Huaihai Road, there stands a beautiful and luxurious garden villa, commonly referred to by locals as the “Sheng Mansion.”

　　This residence was originally built in the 26th year of the Guangxu reign during the Qing Dynasty, i.e., 1900, funded by a German businessman named Wasi (phonetic translation). It covers a land area of 12,424 square meters with a total floor space of 1,775 square meters. When World War I broke out in 1914, the owner returned to his home country, and the property was taken over by Sheng Xuanhuai. After Sheng passed away in 1916, it was inherited by his son, Sheng Zhongyi. Later, it became the residence of Chen Diaoyuan, a prominent general under Chiang Kai-shek, and Duan Qirui, known as the “Tiger of the Beiyang Clique.” During the Anti-Japanese War, it was occupied by the Japanese for several years, who cut the vast garden in half to build what is now Shanghai New Village. After the war, Sheng Zhongyi managed to reclaim the house but soon sold it to the Rong family due to business failures. After the liberation, it came under state ownership... Over the half-century, the property hosted numerous figures who were prominent in modern Chinese history. In 1989, it was designated as a municipal-level cultural heritage site in Shanghai.

　　The main structure of the residence faces south and is rectangular in shape, with a symmetrical layout positioned horizontally at the center of the site. Servant quarters are arranged vertically at the eastern and western corners of the plot. The main building integrates the owners’ and servants’ areas into one unit, while the gatehouse is located at the northeast corner of the site. The property features a large front garden planted with holly, cedar, and dragon juniper trees and flowers. A marble fountain with a statue of a Greek deity (destroyed during the Cultural Revolution) is set within the garden, along with rockeries and pavilions. The lawn spans 1,668 square meters, with a tennis court and rest area situated in the southeast corner. The lawn is enclosed by high walls and a double-gated ornamental entrance, forming a private courtyard. The entrance includes a turnaround driveway, with a garage and utility rooms located at the northeast corner, creating a clear functional zoning. The garden combines European-style lawns with traditional Chinese courtyard elements to create a spacious, tranquil, and comfortable environment.

　　The main building has three floors, with the entrance on the west side. It features a grand and spacious “gate”-shaped foyer supported by four round columns on each side, which uphold a recessed balcony with colorful stained glass ceilings. Upon arrival, guests would descend from their carriages and ascend the steps into the foyer, flanked by cloakrooms and reception rooms. A second foyer leads to the dining room and living room. To the east of the main structure lies a large lounge with columned arcades and large glass windows, while the southern side includes a spacious entrance hall with columns and steps. The northern section consists of auxiliary buildings for the kitchen and servant quarters. The upper floors contain living rooms, bedrooms, and bathrooms, all equipped with complete amenities. The interior is lavishly decorated, featuring ancient Greek statues in various poses, floral silk and wallpaper wall coverings, and teak wood flooring, staircases, and doors/windows. The white exterior contrasts beautifully with the green lawn, forming an elegant and harmonious living space.

　　The architectural façade exhibits a neoclassical style. Classicism adheres to the architectural principles of ancient Greece and Rome, emphasizing uniformity and strict symmetry. Neoclassicism retains classical features but breaks free from dogmatic constraints, advocating functionality and nature.

　　The porch on the southern side of the main building is the focal point of the architecture. The architect intentionally enlarged its proportions, using massive Tuscan columns and thick cornices, with elaborate reliefs carved into the cornice. The porch is flanked by semicircular colonnades supporting large balconies. The western entrance porch features grooved square Tuscan columns and arches supporting the balcony. The roof is covered with square iron sheet tiles and enclosed by a continuous parapet wall. Artistically, it reflects the “inclusive, pragmatic, and innovative” characteristics of Shanghai’s modern culture, also known as the “Haipai” architectural style. This is a noble and well-preserved mansion, representing a fine example of Shanghai’s modern architecture in both overall design and intricate details.

　　The original owner, Sheng Xuanhuai, was a native of Wujin, Jiangsu Province, and a leading figure in the late Qing Dynasty’s Self-Strengthening Movement. He held the position of Minister of Posts and Communications. He founded enterprises such as the China Merchants Steam Navigation Company, the Imperial Telegraph Administration, the Huasheng Textile Mill, the Bank of China (China’s first joint-stock commercial bank), and the Imperial Chinese Railway Administration, as well as Nanyang Public School (the predecessor of Shanghai Jiao Tong University). He passed away in 1916. Although he did not reside here for long, due to his prominence at the time, the residence is commonly called the “Sheng Xuanhuai Residence.”

　　After the Republic of China was established, Yuan Shikai sealed off the house, prompting the Sheng family to move to Xieqiaolong in Wujiang Road (now the intersection of Wujiang Road and West Nanjing Road). The sealed-off property on Middle Huaihai Road was confiscated by the Nationalist government in 1929 on charges of embezzlement of public funds, seizing the entire Sheng estate. Later, the house was occupied by Chen Diaoyuan, then governor of Anhui Province.

　　In 1933, during a critical time when Japan had invaded northeastern China and was further encroaching on North China, they targeted Duan Qirui, a seemingly “dead but not yet stiff” “centipede,” attempting through various channels to draw him into serving as the head of a puppet regime in North China. At the time residing in Tianjin, Duan had no intention of taking up the puppet role but feared angering the Japanese and inviting disaster, leaving him deeply troubled. Meanwhile, the Nanjing government also worried that Duan might fall into Japanese hands, jeopardizing the anti-Japanese cause, and thus sought to bring him south. Since Chiang Kai-shek had been Duan’s student (they had a teacher-student relationship at the Baoding Military Academy), their relationship remained cordial. Chiang personally wrote a secret letter inviting Duan to come south to Shanghai to live for a few years, away from the turmoil of North China—a suggestion that suited Duan perfectly. In the spring of 1933, Duan Qirui, accompanied by dozens of family members, left Tianjin by train under the careful arrangement of the Nationalist Military Statistics Bureau. Chiang Kai-shek personally greeted him at Shanghai Railway Station. Duan Qirui then moved into this former Sheng family estate.

　　The compound featured a spacious lawn and lush trees, particularly a large umbrella-shaped pine tree that remained evergreen throughout the year, offering a pleasant and serene view. There was also a Western-style fountain adorned with little cherubs poised as if ready to take flight... Having weathered decades of turbulence in the north, Duan Qirui had hoped to spend his remaining years in peace and retirement here. But, as the saying goes, “The tree may prefer calm, but the wind will not subside.” Japanese conspiracies continued to target him. Fortunately, Duan resolved not to engage with the Japanese any further and publicly declared his stance in a newspaper, thereby preserving his integrity in his later years. On October 30, 1936, this influential figure of modern China passed away peacefully in this tranquil garden. His coffin was transported by special train to Beijing by his descendants and laid to rest temporarily at Biyun Temple until 1964, when his former subordinate Zhang Shizhao arranged for his final burial at the Wan’an Cemetery in Beijing.

　　Sheng Zhongyi, the fifth son of Sheng Xuanhuai and commonly known as “Old Fifth Sheng,” inherited the property after his father’s death. Known for his prudent demeanor, Old Fifth Sheng engaged in real estate business in Shanghai and once rented the house to local officials. It was occupied by the Japanese during the war. After the war, it was appropriated by Nationalist takeover officers as enemy property. Sheng Zhongyi was deeply dissatisfied and tried every means to reclaim the house. Despite presenting various documents proving his ownership, the Nationalist government refused to return it, citing his absence in Chongqing during the war and suspicions of collaboration in Shanghai. Left with no choice, Sheng played his trump card—his younger sister, Sheng Guanyi. Since Soong Ai-ling (Madame Chiang Kai-shek) had once been Sheng Guanyi’s governess and maintained close ties with the Sheng family, the Soong sisters were generally willing to help. Sheng Guanyi approached Soong Mei-ling, who, considering the official response already given, tactfully suggested, “It may not be appropriate for Sheng Zhongyi to live there, but you can move in. No one will object to you staying.” With those words from Soong Mei-ling, the house was quickly obtained. In truth, everyone understood that Sheng Guanyi’s brief stay was merely a formality, effectively returning the house to Old Fifth Sheng. However, fate took another turn—shortly after reclaiming the house, Sheng Zhongyi’s eldest daughter, Mingyu, died young in the garden. Only 21 years old, the promising young woman was taken by illness, leaving Sheng Zhongyi heartbroken. He had a statue of a little girl in overalls erected in the garden in her memory, though its whereabouts are now unknown. Saddened by his daughter’s death and struggling with post-war business setbacks, Sheng Zhongyi sold the house to Rong Hongsan of the Rong family shortly before the liberation.

　　Sheng Aiyu, the seventh daughter of Sheng Xuanhuai, was a modern woman of strong character. After their father’s death, her elder brother, Sheng Enyi (commonly known as “Old Fourth Sheng”), inherited the position of General Manager of the Han-Yeping Company. At the time, T.V. Soong had just returned to China and worked as an English secretary at Han-Yeping, allowing him frequent access to the Sheng residence. Over time, he got to know and fell in love with the Seventh Miss. Captivated by her beauty and elegance, T.V. Soong volunteered to be her English tutor, regaling her with tales of the wonders abroad to showcase his knowledge, quickly winning her affection. However, the disparity in social status and family background between the two families was too great, and Madam Zhuang, the Seventh Miss’s mother, firmly opposed the match. Around the time Sun Yat-sen launched the revolution in Guangzhou, urgent telegrams pressed T.V. Soong to head south. Left with no choice, he bid a temporary farewell to the Seventh Miss. Before leaving, he invited her and her eighth sister (Sheng Fangyi) to Hangzhou, holding three boat tickets and urging them to join him in the revolution. The young ladies, sheltered in their gated mansions and naïve about the world, feared being ridiculed for eloping with a man and declined. However, the Seventh Miss promised to marry him upon his victorious return, giving him a large bunch of gold leaf (a more refined gift than gold ingots at the time) as travel expenses.

　　Unexpectedly, after the revolution succeeded, T.V. Soong returned to Shanghai with his wife, Mme. Chang Lo-yi. The Seventh Miss fell seriously ill upon hearing the news and did not recover until she was 32, eventually marrying Zhuang Zhujiu, her mother’s maternal nephew. After the war, the Sheng siblings often gathered at Sheng Zhongyi’s Huaihai Road mansion. Once, the Seventh Miss received a call from Sheng Zhongyi to visit, only to find T.V. Soong present. Stunned, she realized it was a prearranged “meeting,” leaving her displeased. She exchanged only cursory pleasantries before excusing herself, claiming, “No, my husband is waiting for me,” and leaving abruptly, leaving T.V. Soong embarrassed. Perhaps he hoped to rekindle old feelings and express his regrets, but the Seventh Miss did not give him the chance.

　　In the early years after liberation, the property served as the office for the Shanghai Women’s Federation and the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Higher Education. After the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Japan in the 1970s, it became the Japanese Consulate in Shanghai. In recent years, the consulate has moved to the Hongqiao Development Zone, and the garden has been renovated to serve as the residence of the Consul General.

　　

　　Sheng Xuanhuai (1844~1916)　　Sheng Xuanhuai (1844–1916), courtesy names Xingsun, Youxu, Xingsheng, and Xingsheng, art names Ciyi and Boulou, also known as Yuzhai, and in his later years as Zhisou, was a native of Wujin, Jiangsu. Born into a bureaucratic landlord family, he entered the service of Li Hongzhang in the ninth year of the Tongzhi reign (1870) during the Qing Dynasty. He held positions such as Director of the China Merchants Steam Navigation Company, General Manager of the Imperial Telegraph Administration, Director of the Huasheng Textile Mill and the Imperial Chinese Railway Administration, and founded the Bank of China. He rose to the rank of Minister of Posts and Communications, with the title of First-Class Senior Official. Shanghai was the hub of his activities. Recognizing the importance of foreign language proficiency and technical expertise during the Self-Strengthening Movement, he advocated that “self-strengthening begins with nurturing talent, and nurturing talent must start with education,” and pioneered... Details+