Sun Yat-sen’s Former Residence

　　In the 1920s, amid a global construction boom, Shanghai attracted a number of renowned foreign architects, among them a Hungarian architect named László Hudec, who gained great fame in Shanghai. He emphasized innovative architectural forms and championed new styles. Buildings he designed, such as the former Bank of Communications Building (now the Peace Hotel), the Grand Theatre, and the Green House (now the Wu Tongwen Residence), all caused quite a stir at the time. In 1920, Hudec designed and built a residence for himself at No. 22 Columbia Road (now Panyu Road, now 1262 Yan’an West Road), but did not move in immediately. Later, when Hudec encountered difficulties designing the Moore Memorial Church, Sun Yat-sen helped resolve them. To show his gratitude, Hudec transferred this house to Sun Yat-sen.

　　Sun Yat-sen’s residence is a hybrid-style building, characterized by the seamless integration of different architectural styles into one structure. The building is a brick-and-wood composite structure, with a faux three floors and a total floor area of 1,051 square meters. Judging from its gently sloping roof, red barrel tiles, and elaborately decorated cornices, the residence appears to be in the Spanish style; yet its varied window frame designs—including flat arches, round arches, circular arcs, Baroque curves, symmetrical facades, and three pointed arches on the ground floor—echo the emerging modernist forms of Scandinavia; while its gables and wall surfaces suggest the American Colonial Revival style. The residence also incorporates traditional Chinese architectural elements, such as typical Chinese lattice windows, where the lower sections feature latticework and the upper sections have colored glass, combining indoor and outdoor spaces. The interior also features classic Chinese decorative panels, creating an open and airy spatial feel. Thus, this residence can be considered a hybrid of the Spanish and Scandinavian modernist styles of the early 20th century, infused with traditional Chinese architectural elements.

　　The grand northern entrance porch features an arch-shaped doorway that is simple and solid, with the lintel gradually tapering inward to create a subtle gateway effect. The southern side of the ground floor has three large rooms, the middle one of which opens onto an inner balcony. The large eastern room is particularly distinctive, with a stepped floor, exposed beams and wooden brackets on the ceiling, and two short Corinthian columns on either side supporting a large pointed arch, forming a striking focal point of the interior decoration. The ground floor corridor has a brick floor, with the main staircase to the second floor located on the western side. The central room on the second floor opens onto the inner balcony, with a small suite to the southeast, a large suite with a bathroom to the west, and a hallway to the east that includes closets and storage rooms.

　　The interior of the house is exquisitely furnished, with bedrooms, living rooms, and study rooms featuring teak parquet floors in a herringbone pattern, and teak staircases adorned with carvings, showcasing fine craftsmanship. The interior emphasizes spatial division and wall color treatment, highlighting the dynamic interplay between indoor space and the outdoors, resulting in particularly excellent ventilation and lighting conditions.

　　In 1949, before leaving Shanghai, Sun Yat-sen sold this property on Panyu Road, which later became the Shanghai Branch of the Nationalist Central Epidemic Prevention Bureau. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, it has been used as the Shanghai Institute of Biological Products under the Ministry of Health since 1953.

　　On September 25, 1989, Sun Yat-sen’s Residence was listed as a Shanghai Municipal Cultural Relics Protection Unit as an outstanding example of modern architecture.

　　

　　Sun Yat-sen (1891~1973)　　Sun Yat-sen (October 20, 1891 – September 13, 1973), courtesy name Liansheng, art name Zhesheng, was a native of Cuiheng Village, Xiangshan County, Guangdong (now Cuiheng Village, Nanlang Town, Zhongshan City), and the eldest son of Sun Wen (Sun Yat-sen). Son of Sun Yat-sen. At age 5, he moved with his mother to Maui, Hawaii. In the 27th year of the Guangxu reign (1901), he attended St. Anthony’s School, and in the 32nd year (1906), he enrolled in St. Louis School. During his studies, he assisted the Tongmenghui in founding the newspaper Freedom and New Light. After graduation, he served as the chief editor of the newspaper Datong Daily. He later studied at the University of California, graduating in May of the 5th year of the Republic of China (1916) with a bachelor’s degree. In August, he entered Columbia University’s graduate school, majoring in political science and economics... More+