Former Residence of Tian Zhongyu

　　The Tian Zhongyu Mansion is located at No. 42 Yingkou Road, Heping District, and is one of the better-preserved Western-style buildings in Tianjin. This mansion is a three-story brick-and-wood building in the Romanesque style, built in 1922. It covers an area of 1,554.5 square meters, with a total floor space of over 1,756.16 square meters. The first thing that catches the eye are the four two-story-high Ionic columns in front of the building, giving it a majestic appearance. The building has a total of 18 rooms: the first floor includes a living room, dining room, ballroom, lounge, and restrooms; the second floor mostly consists of bedrooms, studies, and living quarters; the third floor is mainly composed of living spaces and storage rooms. Below the three balconies on the second floor are delicately crafted floral and plant sculptures. The roof of the building features a steeply pitched, four-sided slope design and is elaborately decorated. The interior decoration is also particularly exquisite, featuring fireplaces, wainscoting, double-glazed windows with screens, and herringbone hardwood flooring. After Tian Zhongyu passed away in 1935, his mansion was inhabited by his descendants. After 1954, it became the business office of the Tianjin First Commercial Bureau’s Petroleum Procurement and Supply Station, and later underwent two renovations and expansions. It is now a residential property and is listed as an immovable cultural relic in Tianjin that has not yet been officially designated as a protected site.

　　Tian Zhongyu (1869~1935)　　Tian Zhongyu (1869–1935), courtesy name Yunshan, was from Funing, Zhili. He graduated from the Beiyang Military Preparatory School. He once served as the commander of the first artillery unit of the First Beiyang Army and as the garrison commander of Yanzhou. In 1908, he was appointed as the chief adviser to the Training Division of the Three Eastern Provinces. After the founding of the Republic of China, he held successive positions including acting civil governor of Shandong, garrison commander of Caozhou, military governor of Yanzhou, and commander of the Fifth Army. Later, he was transferred to Beijing to serve as vice minister of the Ministry of War, and the following year became the military governor of Chahar. After Yuan Shikai's death, he served as both military governor and provincial governor of Shandong. He later resigned and took up residence in Tianjin, where he passed away due to illness in 1935. Tian Zhongyu’s grandfather, Tian Yongqing, and father, Tian Run, both died early. He had only one sibling and just three...... Details+