Ai Lu

　　Ai Lu is located at No. 9 Dongping Road in Shanghai. It was part of Soong Mei-ling’s dowry and now belongs to Sashas Western Restaurant and the Secondary Specialized School of Music at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music.

　　Many students who have just started studying at the affiliated middle school of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music at No. 9 Dongping Road may not know who the owner of the small building on campus is. When Chiang Kai-shek and Soong Mei-ling got married in December 1927, they couldn’t find a satisfactory residence at the time. The couple frequently traveled between Nanjing and Shanghai but had no fixed home in the city, often staying temporarily in hotels. The following year after their marriage, Soong Mei-ling’s elder brother, T. V. Soong, finally found a garden villa for sale at 9 Dongping Road (formerly Rue Gaston Kahn in the former French Concession). He bought it and gave it to his sister Soong Mei-ling. From then on, Chiang and Soong stayed here often when in Shanghai, making it Chiang Kai-shek’s official residence in the city. Chiang Kai-shek greatly loved this French-style garden villa.

　　The main building of Chiang Kai-shek’s official residence has four bays, a false three-story structure, and faces southeast. It features a Mansard-style, diamond-shaped flat tile pitched roof, with a façade clad in textured small pebble finish. Windows, porches, and corners are all adorned with dentil-like stone imitations. A dormer window is set on the roof, giving the entire building a light, natural, and unique appearance. The main façade of the villa is arranged in a stepped formation from west to east. The balconies formed by three-centered arches and the inner corridor on the ground floor are notable features of the architecture. The villa consists of one main building and two auxiliary buildings. The main building faces south and is made up of three distinct units: east, west, and center. The auxiliary buildings are located on either side of the main building and served as residences and workspaces for attendants and guards. The first floor of the east side contains a large living room that could accommodate over 40 people. Soong Mei-ling often screened American films here for attendants and relatives such as Kong Lingkan, the nephew of the Kung family. The second floor houses the bedroom and bathroom of the Chiangs. The bedroom floor is inlaid with small teak strips, and the wall decorations are exquisitely crafted, particularly four framed scrolls depicting flowers and birds in spring, summer, autumn, and winter, which are strikingly lifelike. There is a hidden passage near the bedroom entrance, which provided a direct exit to the outside in case of emergency. Now the bedroom and bathroom have been combined, but the hidden passage still exists. Outside the bedroom is a balcony where Chiang and Soong often admired the garden in front of the house.

　　In front of the residence, there used to be a large garden covering 2,000 square meters. According to Chiang Kai-shek’s secretary, Wang Rizhang, the large garden had several towering cedar trees full of vitality. To the south, a small stream meandered across the lawn, about three meters wide, with various-sized rocks in the water that one could step across. On the east side of the garden were a pond, rockeries, and a small bridge, surrounded by a pebble-paved path. Nowadays, the west side of the garden has been replaced by new buildings, while the lawn and pond on the east side retain their original appearance. In particular, a tall cedar tree by the lawn remains lush and upright. Around the pond are two rockeries, one in front and one behind, one large and one small, arranged in an artful composition. The smaller rockery is delicate and exquisite, while the larger one has a more imposing presence, showcasing classic Chinese garden aesthetics. On the larger rockery, there are stone benches and tables, and the two Chinese characters “Ai Lu” (Love Cottage), inscribed by Chiang Kai-shek himself, are still standing there. Chiang Kai-shek called his villa at Guling, Mount Lu, near the Guanyin Bridge, “Mei Lu” (Beautiful Cottage), and the one at West Lake in Hangzhou, “Cheng Lu” (Clear Cottage). But he named this garden villa “Ai Lu,” showing just how deeply attached he was to this place.

　　As time has passed and the world has changed, over half a century has gone by. The residence still retains its original appearance from those days, though the owner has changed—it is now Building 9 of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music Affiliated Middle School and is currently rented out to Changhua Textile Co., Ltd.

　　Soong Mei-ling (1897~2003)　　Soong Mei-ling (March 5, 1897 – October 24, 2003) was from Wenchang, Guangdong (now part of Hainan). She was the First Lady of the Republic of China and Chiang Kai-shek’s fourth wife. In addition to her outstanding command of English, Soong Mei-ling could speak six languages, had considerable accomplishments in traditional Chinese painting, and was also skilled in calligraphy. It is said that she played the piano very well, making her proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. She served as Chiang Kai-shek’s diplomatic aide. Soong Mei-ling, along with her sisters Soong Ai-ling and Soong Qing-ling, were known as the “Three Soong Sisters.” Their father was the wealthy businessman Charlie Soong. Backed by the powerful... More+

　　Chiang Kai-shek (1887~1975)　　Chiang Kai-shek (October 31, 1887 – April 5, 1975), whose given name was Zhongzheng and courtesy name was Jieshi, was also known by his childhood name Ruìyuán, his formal name Zhōutài, and his school name Zhìqīng. His ancestral home was in Yixing, Jiangsu, and he was born in Fenghua, Zhejiang. He was a prominent political and military figure in modern China, having served as President of the Whampoa Military Academy, Commander-in-Chief of the National Revolutionary Army, Chairman of the National Government, President of the Executive Yuan, Chairman of the Military Affairs Commission of the National Government, Generalissimo of the Republic of China, Director-General of the Kuomintang, Commander of the Three People’s Principles Youth Corps, Supreme Commander of the China Theater of the Allies during World War II, and President of the Republic of China, among other positions. Chiang Kai-shek rose to prominence in the political arena of the Republic of China under the patronage of Sun Yat-sen, and after Sun’s death... More+