Gong Zizhen’s Former Residence

　　Destination Introduction

　　Gong Zizhen’s Former Residence is located at No. 21 Shoupa Hutong, Xicheng District. It was one of the residences Gong Zizhen lived in while in Beijing. The residence faces south and consists of three courtyards, along with east and west wing courtyards. The front courtyard has three north-facing rooms, two wing rooms on each side, and three rooms on the east and west sides respectively. In its heyday, the courtyard housed an imperial calligraphy plaque with the character “Fu” (福, meaning “blessing”) written by Emperor Daoguang, as well as the “Gengdu Hall” (耕读堂, meaning “Farming and Reading Hall”). The residence remains largely in its original state. Gong Zizhen (1792–1841) was from Renhe, Zhejiang (now Hangzhou). He excelled in poetry and prose, developing his own unique style known as the “Gong School.” In 1839, he resigned from his official post and returned home. Gong Zizhen was a progressive thinker, renowned poet, and literary figure in modern China. He was highly learned and deeply concerned about the future and fate of the nation, strongly supporting Lin Zexu’s anti-opium efforts and writing numerous political essays that criticized and exposed the realities of feudal society. The residence originally had living quarters in the front and a garden in the back. In 1831, he sold the property to Pan Shicheng from Panyu County, Guangdong, who later donated it to his fellow townsmen, turning it into the Panyu Guild Hall. It is now a key cultural relic protection unit.

　　Covering an area of over 600 square meters, Gong Zizhen’s Former Residence now serves as the Gong Zizhen Memorial Hall. The main structure of the memorial hall is a two-story building in the Qing Dynasty architectural style, featuring five bays on each floor, along with wing rooms. It boasts carved beams and painted rafters, giving off an elegant and classic charm. The central hall houses a half-length bronze statue of Gong Zizhen, surrounded by plaques and couplets inscribed by renowned figures such as Sha Menghai and Zhao Puchu. Four exhibition rooms display a pictorial biography of Gong Zizhen’s life, a chronology of major events, the engraved version of the Ding’an Collection (《定庵刻本》), historical materials, Gong family genealogies, poetry collections, and research works by later scholars. The courtyard features small bridges, flowing water, rockeries, and pavilions, complemented by floral greenery, all of which highlight the characteristics of a classical Chinese garden.

　　Location: No. 21 Shoupa Hutong, Xicheng District

　　Area: Over 600 square meters

　　 Beijing Xicheng District

　　Gong Zizhen (1792–1841)　　Gong Zizhen (August 22, 1792 – September 26, 1841), courtesy name Ershen (尔身) and art name Ding’an (定庵), was of Han ethnicity and came from Renhe (present-day Hangzhou, Zhejiang). In his later years, he resided at Yushan Mountain Retreat in Kunshan and also used the art name Yushan Mountain Hermit. He was a thinker, poet, literary figure, and pioneer of reformism during the Qing Dynasty. Gong Zizhen once held official positions such as Clerk of the Grand Secretariat, Director of the Imperial Clan Court, and Director of the Ministry of Rites. He advocated for reforming corrupt policies and resisting foreign aggression, and strongly supported Lin Zexu’s efforts to ban opium. At the age of 48, he resigned from office and returned to the south, passing away the following year at Yunyang Academy in Danyang, Jiangsu. His poetry and prose promoted the ideas of “reforming the law” and “changing the system,” exposing the corruption of Qing rulers and brimming with...   Read More+