Former Residence of Dong Biwu

　　The former residence of Dong Biwu is situated within the compound of the Cultural Center on Zhengnan Street in Chengguan Town. The entire residence comprises a courtyard, corridors, the main hall, bedrooms, the kitchen, and exhibition rooms, exuding an atmosphere that is serene, rustic, elegant, and dignified. Above the round gate in the blue-brick courtyard wall hangs a rectangular piece of white marble inscribed with seven golden Chinese characters reading “Former Residence of Comrade Dong Biwu,” personally written by the then General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee and Secretary of the National Political and Legal Affairs Commission. A lush pomegranate tree stretches out over the courtyard wall, as if greeting visitors who come to pay their respects. The narrow courtyard is paved with smooth pebbles. It is said that besides preventing slipping on rainy days, these stones served another purpose: when enemies approached from outside the city, they could be quickly dug up and transported to the city walls to be used as ammunition to repel attackers. As a result, at that time, every household in Huang’an City had such stones laid in their courtyards. Stepping through the courtyard gate and along the corridor, you arrive at the main hall of the residence. The first thing that catches your eye is a spinning wheel once used by Dong Biwu’s mother. His mother, Madam Cai, was hardworking and virtuous, managing the household and earning money by spinning dew cotton yarn. What is dew cotton yarn? According to Dong Biwu’s later recollection, “It was cotton yarn spun during the day and carried into town early the next morning—since it was exposed to the dew, the yarn would be damp.” Dong Biwu’s mother supported the entire large family by spinning and weaving all her life. Looking at this spinning wheel, one can almost see the image of a diligent and kind mother spinning yarn under the soft moonlight.

　　To the right of the main hall is a small bedroom, the place where Dong Biwu was born and also where he married Comrade Huang Junzhen in 1910. The room is very simple, with just a bed and two wooden trunks. In this bedroom, Dong Biwu’s mother gave birth to their four siblings: two older sisters, a younger brother—Dong Juesheng—and Dong Biwu himself.

　　Exiting the bedroom and coming out of the main hall, to the right is the kitchen. At that time, Dong Biwu’s family was a large household of nearly 30 people. His grandfather, Dong Qiyuan, had nine children; apart from his eldest daughter who was married off, the other eight sons stayed with him. Dong Biwu was the eldest son of his third son, Dong Jiwen. Such a large family owned not an inch of farmland or a single measure of land. The family’s livelihood mainly depended on Dong Biwu’s father and fourth uncle Huaisu, who were teachers; his eldest uncle and fifth uncle ran small businesses by borrowing money at interest, dealing in goods such as tea, paper, and incense. His second uncle passed away early, his sixth and seventh uncles worked as shop assistants, and his eighth uncle died young before getting married. In those days, the family ate only two meals a day, supplemented with vegetables like cabbage, radish, sweet potato, and wild greens. Only during festivals could they enjoy a proper meal of dry rice. Each meal was portioned by the grandmother, with one spoonful per person—hardly enough to satisfy hunger.

　　To the left of the main hall are two exhibition rooms displaying some of the photos and artifacts that reflect how Comrade Dong Biwu devoted his entire life to the revolution.

　　The current residence was restored in 1977 with approval from higher authorities. Inside the exhibition rooms, there is a model showing the full layout of the former residence. The actual residence originally consisted of three rows of buildings. The first row was used for business, the second row was the main hall dedicated to receiving guests from outside. At that time, Elder Dong hosted many progressive youths in this living room. The third row housed the family’s own main hall and the rooms where women worked. The three rows of buildings were all interconnected, forming two courtyards in the front and back, plus a central patio. The currently restored residence consists of the third row of buildings, which was reconstructed after extensive investigation and research.