Former Residence of Wang Boqun

　　   Wang Boqun (1885–1944), courtesy name Wenxuan, style name Zixing, was a native of Jingjiatun, Xiawutun, Xingyi, and the nephew of the Guizhou warlord Liu Xianshi. In his youth, he studied the I Ching and the Book of Documents under his father, as well as Yangming Studies and the Four Books. At the age of 18, after losing his father, he specialized in studying the Mencius, the Zuo Zhuan, and mathematical sciences under three scholars from Guizhou: Yao Mangfu, Xiong Fanyu, and Xu Shuqun.

　　   In the 32nd year of the Guangxu reign (1906), Wang Boqun was among the first group of four students from Xingyi County to be sent to Japan on a government scholarship. He first enrolled in the Political Economy Department of Hongwen Academy, then transferred to Central University to study political economy, and later pursued advanced studies at the Central Research Institute. While in Japan, he joined Sun Yat-sen’s Tongmenghui (Chinese Revolutionary Alliance) alongside Zhang Taiyan and others, participating in revolutionary activities and also becoming acquainted with Liang Qichao.

　　   In the first year of the Republic of China (1912), following the Xinhai Revolution, Wang Boqun returned from Japan to Shanghai, where he joined the “Chinese Republic United Association” organized by Zhang Taiyan and Cheng Dequan to expand revolutionary forces. At the invitation of Zhang Taiyan, he served as manager of the newspaper Great Republican Daily, promoting Sun Yat-sen’s revolutionary ideals. At that time, Liang Qichao was organizing the Progressive Party in Beijing and invited Wang to serve as an executive member.

　　   In the third year of the Republic of China (1914), Wang Boqun participated in the drafting of the Provisional Constitution of the Republic of China in Beijing.

　　   In the ninth year of the Republic of China (1920), Wang Boqun followed Sun Yat-sen back to Guangdong to restore the military government, serving in Guangzhou as a Grand Councillor and Minister of Communications for the military government.

　　   During the War of Resistance Against Japan, he served as president of Daxia University and oversaw its relocation to Guiyang, Guizhou. In early December 1944, due to the Japanese offensive in southwestern China, Wang was ordered to evacuate and decided to move Daxia University to Chishui County in northern Guizhou. Facing financial difficulties in funding the relocation, Wang Boqun personally traveled to Chongqing to request subsidies. However, suffering from worsening stomach illness, he passed away on the 20th (some sources say the 26th) of that month at the Army Hospital in Chongqing, at the age of 60.

　　   The former residence of Wang Boqun is located on the west side of Huguo Road in Nanming District, Guiyang. It is a distinctive French-style building constructed in 1917, featuring a brick-and-wood structure covering an area of 1,600 square meters. From the outside, it consists of a rectangular main building combined with a cylindrical watchtower. The main building has seven bays across its facade, two stories high, with corridors built on all four sides. The flat roof features a hipped-gable rooflet added to one corner, exemplifying a typical blend of Chinese and Western architectural styles. The steps at the ground level are divided into two sets: the lower level uses cloud-patterned steps, while the upper level features a hanging belt design. The white stucco decorations on the brick pillars resemble Chinese cabbage, setting them apart from Western figurative sculptures. Although the former residence is a French-style building, its decorative craftsmanship still reflects traditional techniques, making it a product of the fusion between Chinese and foreign architectural cultures. As an important modern historical site, the former residence of Wang Boqun is now a provincial-level cultural relics protection unit.

　　Wang Boqun (1885~1944)　　   Wang Boqun (1885–1944), a native of Xingyi, Guizhou, was a pioneer of the Chinese Tongmenghui, a forerunner of China’s modern democratic revolution, as well as a politician and educator. In 1906, after graduating from Bishan Academy in Xingyi (now Xingyi Normal University for Nationalities), he went to study in Japan, attending the Political Economy Department of Hongwen Academy, Central University, and the Central Research Institute. During this time, Sun Yat-sen was advocating for revolution in Japan, and Wang joined the Chinese Tongmenghui. In 1915, he participated in the National Protection Movement, serving as Minister of Communications for the Guangzhou Military Government, among other roles. In 1920, he followed Sun Yat-sen back to Guangdong to restore the military government, serving in Guangzhou as a Grand Councillor and Minister of Communications for the military government. 19...... Details+