If Beijing is undoubtedly the place with the largest number of contemporary celebrities, it is very meaningful to see where they live and remember the great people of their predecessors.

During the Spring Festival this year, I visited several places and visited some former residences.

1. Guo Moruo's former residence

In 1963, Guo Moruo's family moved from Dongsi to No. 18, the former Haixiyan, until her death in 1978.

This was originally a garden in Heshen in the Qing Dynasty. Later, Prince Gong Yi used it as a forage yard and stable. During the Republic of China, descendants of Prince Gong sold it to Da Ren Tang Lejia Medicine Shop as a residence garden.

Guo Moruo is a banner of China's new culture after Lu Xun. He has a high status in literature. He has written and translated many masterpieces in his life, and is also very accomplished in archaeology, drama, and poetry. The "Three Hundred Years of Jiashen Sacrifice" written by Guo Moruo was once one of the materials learned during the Yan 'an rectification movement and had a great influence.

Guo Moruo was very prestigious before liberation and was a very charismatic great man. After liberation, he served in important positions such as Vice Premier of the State Council, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

The former residence is a two-way courtyard house with a rockery in front of the door. The environment in the courtyard is very good.

I came here on the morning of February 24. I visited it for 75 minutes. The ticket price was 20 yuan.

2. Former Residence of Soong Ching Ling

Soong Ching Ling is known as the treasure of the country. Her life was great. She was not only the wife of the revolutionary pioneer Mr. Sun Yat-sen. She loved the country and democracy all her life and enjoyed high prestige and credibility at home and abroad. After liberation, she has served as Vice President of the country and National People's Congress. The post of Vice Chairman of the People's Republic of China was also awarded the honorary chairman of the People's Republic of China.

On the afternoon of February 24, I came to visit Soong Ching Ling's former residence in Beijing from Mao Dun's former residence in Nanluogu Lane, No. 46 Houhai Beiyan. The ticket was 20 yuan, but you needed to make an online reservation in advance to purchase the ticket on Ctrip.

The environment here is very good. The neighbor is Prince Chun's Mansion, which is relatively large. Its predecessor was the mansion garden of the grand scholar Mingzhu during the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty. During the Qianlong period, it became a separate courtyard of He Shen's family. During the Jiaqing period, it was the garden of Prince Cheng Yongyi, and later it was the mansion garden of Prince Chun's father, Prince Yi Yi, and at the end of the Qing Dynasty, it was the palace garden of Prince Chun Zaifeng, the father of the last emperor Pu Yi, which was the garden of Regent's Mansion. In short, the predecessor was Wangfu Garden. In 1961, Premier Zhou personally arranged to build a main building that combines Chinese and Western cultures. In April 1963, Soong Ching Ling moved here to live, work, and receive Chinese and foreign guests.

There are also pigeons raised by Soong Ching Ling during her lifetime, which is a symbol of her love for peace.

From a landscape perspective, this place is worthy of the title of Wangfu Garden. It is unique and elegant, with all kinds of mountains and rivers, pavilions and pavilions, which is very good.

An exhibition on Soong Ching Ling's life is still being held. By visiting the exhibition, you can have a deeper understanding of Soong Ching Ling's life. I visited here for 75 minutes and felt very rewarding.

3. Lao She's Former Residence

Lao She is a great writer. His works are very rural. I have read some of his novels and like "Four Generations Together","Camel Xiangzi","The Legend of Niu Tianci","Under the Red Flag", etc. I first read his work is "Longxugou". On the afternoon of February 15, I visited Lao She's former residence at No. 19 Fufu Hutong, Dengshikou West Street, which is also a remembrance of this great writer.

Lao She has lived in ten places in Beijing. This was the place where she lived after liberation until her death. It is an exquisite courtyard house known as the "Danshi Courtyard" and is now also open to the public free of charge as Lao She Memorial Hall.

4. Former Residence of Mao Dun in Beijing

I have seen the Mao Dun Memorial Hall in Wuzhen and read Mao Dun's work "Lin Family Shop". He is a great litterateur.

Mao Dun's former residence in Beijing is located at No. 13 Houyuanensi Hutong in Nanluogu Lane. It was where he lived in Beijing from 1974 to 1981. It was a small courtyard house. The former residence was free to visit. Perhaps due to the impact of the epidemic, the number of visitors per day was very strict. When I came here on the afternoon of February 24, I was not allowed to enter. Although there were not many people visiting it and the doorman refused to let in, so I had no choice but to take two photos and leave.

5. Qi Baishi's former residence

Qi Baishi is a great painter. He has won the International Peace Prize and has been awarded the title of "People's Artist" by the Ministry of Culture.

The place where Qi Baishi has lived in Beijing for a long time is No. 13 Kuacha Hutong in Picai Hutong. It once appeared in the media due to real estate development and may not be open at present. Now Qi Baishi's former residence in Yuer Hutong, Nanluogu Lane is a small courtyard purchased by the state from private hands in order to take care of Qi Baishi. Qi Baishi missed his residence in Xicheng and did not live here for a long time. This place was once converted into Beijing Painting Academy.

On the afternoon of February 24, I came here from Guo Moruo's former residence, but it was not open due to the epidemic.

6. Cai Yuanpei's former residence

On the afternoon of February 16, I came to Cai Yuanpei's old residence in Dongtangzi Hutong, Dongdan, but it was not open.

Cai Yuanpei lived here from 1917 to 1920 and planned the great "May 4th Movement" here. Some students holding red flags had never begun to march, so the significance of this place is very great.

In today's era of large-scale development, this place once faced the danger of being demolished. Fortunately, personnel from the Cultural Relics Bureau intervened to protect it. Cai Yuanpei is a great educator and president of Peking University.

I also saw Ma Xulun's former residence, but I didn't go there because of time. In fact, there are still many famous people's former residences in Beijing. Let's find opportunities to visit it slowly in the future.

Author: Written by Wanjun of the Great Song Dynasty on March 1, 2021