Guo Moruo’s Former Residence in Beijing

　　Destination Introduction

　　Guo Moruo Memorial Hall is located at No. 18 Qianhai Xijie and officially opened to the public in June 1988. The memorial hall is a courtyard-style quadrangle architecture. During the late Qing Dynasty, it served as the stable area for Prince Gong’s Mansion, and was later rebuilt into a residence that blended Chinese and Western styles in the early years of the Republic of China. Mr. Guo Moruo spent the last 15 years of his life here.

　　The former Guo Moruo residence was originally a garden belonging to He Shen, a powerful minister of the Qing Dynasty. After He’s property was confiscated, the garden fell into disuse. During the Tongzhi era, it became a forage yard and stable for Prince Gong’s Mansion. In the Republican period, the descendants of the prince sold the mansion and garden to Fu Jen Catholic University, and this plot was sold to the Loyal Pharmaceutical Shop of the Daren Hall. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, it once housed the embassy of the Mongolian People's Republic in China. Opposite the residence’s entrance on the street stands a brick screen wall. A path inside the gate leads straight to a carved flower gate facing south. The former residence has a golden plaque inscribed by [name omitted], maintaining the appearance it had during Mr. Guo’s lifetime. Four exhibition rooms use historical photos and precious cultural relics to give an overview of Mr. Guo’s immortal achievements in poetry, drama, literary theory, ancient philology, and ancient social studies, showcasing his extraordinary contributions to the international peace movement, and recreating the remarkable life of an outstanding representative of revolutionary intellectuals.

　　The residence is a large quadrangle courtyard. Inside the main gate is an earthen mound dotted with trees. The five northern rooms inside the second gate served as his workspace and living room, the eastern side room was his bedroom, and there are three rooms each on the eastern and western wing rooms. Corridors surround the courtyard, with enclosed passageways leading to the backyard. There is also an eastern annex courtyard. The residence preserves a large number of valuable cultural relics and materials, including Guo Moruo’s manuscripts and books.

　　Stepping into the courtyard, you’ll find a bronze statue of Mr. Guo Moruo on the lawn, serene and composed, as if he were resting or deep in thought. Passing through the carved flower gate, you’ll enter a two-courtyard quadrangle made up of the eastern and western wing rooms and two rows of main rooms. Corridors and heated walkways connect them into one. The five main rooms facing you were Mr. Guo’s bedroom, study, and living room, all arranged as they were during his lifetime. As we all know, since the May Fourth Movement, Mr. Guo Moruo had been actively involved in China’s cultural and scientific fronts. He achieved remarkable success not only in literature, art, history, and ancient philology but was also a highly inspirational social activist. The life exhibition follows this theme, using Mr. Guo’s manuscripts, works, historical photos, and other exhibits to introduce his achievements in various fields such as poetry, drama, literary theory, ancient scripts and social research, as well as calligraphy, across different historical periods. It also highlights his historical contributions during various stages of the New Democratic Revolution and his immortal contributions after the founding of the People’s Republic of China in the fields of science, culture, education, international exchanges, and the peace movement. To help visitors gain a deeper understanding of Mr. Guo, special exhibition rooms also focus on his achievements in various academic fields or during different historical periods. A wide range of cultural relics collected by Mr. Guo during his lifetime, including manuscripts, books, rubbings, paintings, calligraphy, letters, and daily items, are displayed here.

　　The tranquil old garden, spacious and bright quadrangle, towering ancient cypresses, crisp birdsong, and rich natural fragrance echo the ancient verse: “Cicadas chirp, the woods seem quieter; birds sing, the mountains grow more serene.” The deep courtyards twist and turn, adorned with pumpkin trellises, silver firs, lilies, peonies, lotuses—all planted by Mr. and Mrs. Guo themselves, giving rise to the touching story of the “Mother Tree.”

　　Location: No. 18 Qianhai Xijie, southwestern shore of Shichahai, Beijing.

　　Transportation Information

　　Transportation: Get off at Beihai Houmen Station via bus routes 13, 42, 107, 111, 118, 701, 810, 823, or 850, then walk west along the north side of the road.

　　 Beijing Xicheng District

　　Guo Moruo (1892–1978)　　Guo Moruo (1892–1978). Born on November 16, 1892, in Shawan, Tonghe County, Leshan, Sichuan Province, he graduated from Kyushu Imperial University in Japan. He was a modern writer, historian, and one of the founders of modern Chinese poetry. In 1914, Guo Moruo studied medicine at Kyushu Imperial University in Japan. In 1921, he published his first poetry collection, "Goddess."  In 1930, he wrote "Research on Ancient Chinese Society."  In 1949, Guo Moruo was elected chairman of the All-China Federation of Literary and Art Circles. He once served as Director of the Department of Philosophy and Social Sciences at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Director of the First Institute of History, and...  More+

Guo Moruo’s Former Residence in Beijing isAAa [level/classification] attraction

Guo Moruo’s Former Residence in Beijing is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.