Former Residence of Wu Songping

　　The former residence of Wu Songping is located at No. 117 Kunming Road, Heping District. It was built in 1934 and was personally designed and constructed under his supervision. The exterior features sulfur-clay brick walls and a steeply pitched, sharply ridged roof, giving it a novel design with a European-style country villa aesthetic. In its early years, the courtyard housed a fountain, a small pavilion, and various rare plants and trees. The elegant surroundings blended seamlessly with the uniquely styled architecture, making it a high-end garden villa within the former British Concession. It is now known as the "Garden Hotel" and was listed as a Tianjin Cultural Relics Protection Unit in 1997.

　　

　　Wu Songping (1882~1966)　　Wu Songping (1882–1966), courtesy name Xizhong, was from Wuyuan. His father, Wu Tiaoqing, was one of the Four Great Compradors of Tianjin. Wu Songping was born in Tianjin, graduated from the Beiyang Police Academy, was granted the title of candidate prefect, and later went to the United States to study military science. After returning to China, he served as the Director of the Shanxi Education Department. Following the fall of Tianjin to Japanese occupation, he became an executive director of the Japanese-funded Daya Petroleum Company. ...... Details+

　　Wu Tiaoqing (1850~1928)　　Wu Tiaoqing (1850–1928), also known as Maoding or Yinbo, was from Wuyuan, Jiangxi. He was an important figure in modern Chinese history who played dual roles as both an official and a businessman. He successively served as the Chief Comprador of the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) in Tianjin, the Director of the Railway Bureau for the railways inside and outside the Passes, and the Ministerial Director of the Imperial Capital’s Agriculture, Industry, and Commerce Bureau. After the failure of the Hundred Days' Reform, he withdrew from politics and engaged in industry in Tianjin, founding some of China’s earliest factories, including those producing matches, velvet fabric, and tanned leather. He was a pioneering figure in Tianjin's financial and industrial sectors. In 1882, he helped establish the Tianjin branch of HSBC and served as its Chief Comprador, later being appointed as a candidate circuit intendant for Zhili. In 1894, he became the General Manager of the Imperial Chinese Railway Company, and in 1896... Details+