Jiaixng is famous for its natural environment, beautiful scenery, rich land and celebrities.

Jiaxing has been a cradle of talented people. The famous poets Yanji, Yanzhu in Han Dynasty (206BC-AD 220), the famous novelist Ganbao in Jin Dynasty(1115-1234), the famous poet Gukuang in Tang Dynasty(618-907 Dynasty), Yue Fei’s grandson Yue Ke, the woman poet Zhu Shuzhen in Song Dynasty(960-1279), the famous painter Wu Zhen and other literates, like Xiang Yuanbian, Xiang Shengmo, Li Rihua ,Zhang Lvxiang, Zhu Yizun, Zha Shenxing etc. were all from Jiaxing. In modern times Jiaixing gave birth to many remarkable politicians, philosophers, strategists, scientists, artists, represented by Li Shanlan from Haining, the founder of modern science in China, Shen Zengzhi from Jiaxing and Wang Guowei from Haining who have been known as masters of Chinese studies, Shen Junru, Shen Yanbing or Mao Dun, Zhang Yuanji, Feng Zikai, Zhang Leping, Zhu Shenghao, Qian Baochen, Wang Huzhen. There are more than 20 famous former residences of the celebrities, scattered in Jiaxing city, Wangdian, Wuzhen, Xiashi, Yanguan, Wuyuan town, etc. which have become places of historic interests.

I. Plum Blossom Nunnery

Wu Zhen (1280~1354) was an outstanding artist in Yuan Dynasty.

In Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), Wu Xuru, the county magistrate of Jiashan, ordered to build the Plum Blossom Nunnery beside the tomb of Wu Zhen. The nunnery occupies more than 1,300 square meters, which is interspersed with different types of plum trees.

II. Pushu Pavilion

In Qing Dynasty (1696), Zhu Yizhun ( 1629-1709) built Pushu Pavilion in Wangdian Town, in which he collected about 80,000 books. He wrote books in the rest of his life there. He was the founder of the school of Western Zhejiang Poetry.

Pushu Pavilion is quite spacious. It covers an area of 6,500 square meters.

III. Former Residence of Shen Zengzhi

Shen ZengZhi (1850~1922) was born in Beijing, and Jiaxing was his ancestral hometown. His former residence is at Yaojiadai of Jiaxing, built in 1910 (Qing Dynasty). He was a politician and scholar. He constantly brought forth new ideas in arts and learning. He was good at calligraphy.

IV. Memorial Hall of Shen Junru

The Memorial Hall of Shen Junru was originally Shen Junru’s former residence. It was restored in 1998 and China’s former president Jiang Zemin inscribed the plaque “Memorial Hall of Shen Junru” .The residence was opened to the public on June 11, 1998, as Memorial Hall of Shen Junru. More than 700 memetoes of Shen Junru’s are on display in the hall.

V. Former Residence of Zhu Shenghao

Zhu Shenhao is a well known translator of Shakespear’s dramas in China. He was born on Feb 2, 1912 in an impoverished businessman’s family of Jiaxing.

He translated the dramas from 1936 when he was in Shanghai. In January, 1943, he and his wife came back to Jiaxing and there he translated 31dramas in one and a half years. On December 26, 1944, at the age of 32, he died of tuberculosis in this residence.

VI. Former Residence of Mao Dun

The original name of Mao Dun is Shen Dehong, and he was also named Yanbing (another name taken at the age of twenty in Chinese tradition). He was born on July 4, 1896 in his former residence at Wuzhen. He spent his boyhood here. This residence was built in the middle of the nineteenth century, and was bought by Mao Dun’s grandfather Shen Huan. In 1984, it was restored and Ye Shengtao inscribed for it. In 1985, Chen Yun inscribed the plaque “Residence of Mao Dun”.

From 1934 to 1937, Mao Dun came back to Wuzhen several times for writing. Many of his novels were written on the background of his hometown.

VII. Yuanyuantang

Feng Zikai (1898~1975) is a famous caricaturist, writer and art educator. TK was his pen name. He was born on Nov 9, 1898 in Shimen Town of Tongxiang.

Yuanyuantang was Feng Zikai’s former residence in Shimen Town of Tongxiang County Zhejiang Province. It was designed by Feng Zikai himself and built in 1933, but was destroyed by the Japanese army on November 23, 1937. Here Feng Zikai lived for only more than 4 years, but it was the prime of his art life. During this period, he also translated more than 20 books here.

In 1984, the government of Tongxiang rebuilt Yuanyuantang at the former address.

VIII. Juntao Art House

Qian Juntao(1907~1998) was born in Tudian of Tongxiang County. He was an artist and good at seal cutting, painting and calligraphy.

In 1985, QianJunTao contributed more than 4000 precious cultural relics collected by himself to the nation, so the Government of Tongxiang built Juntao Art House to treasure up these works, also to exhibit other art works，which also serve as a workshop of artists. The building was completed in 1987.

In 1996, Qian Juntao contributed 1000 valuable historic relics and his works of art to Haining City, and the Haining Government built Qian Juntao Art Institute for which Qiaoshi inscribed.

IX. Photo Exhibition Hall of Hou Bo and XuXiaobing

Both Hou Bo and Xu Xiaobing are renowned photographers in our country. They are a couple.

Hou Bo mainly took photos for leaders, for example, Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, etc.

Xu Xiaobing’ creations were mainly taken in the war.

In 1992, the Government of Tongxiang built Photo Exhibition Hall of Hou Bo and Xu Xiaobing to exhibit the couple’s works.

X. Former Residence of Wang Guowei

Wang Guowei was born in 1877(Qing Dynasty) in Shuang Ren Alley of Yanguan Town.

The residence was built by Wang Naiyi, Wang Guowei’s father and was restored and opened to the public by the Haining Government in 1987.

Wang Guowei made outstanding contributions to philosophy, psychology, aesthetics, poetry and the study of traditional operas, etc. And he is one of the founders of the study on ancient inscriptions on bones and tortoise shells and Dunhuang study.

On June 2, 1927, he commited suicide by jumping into Kunming Lake of the Summer Palace in Beijing.

XI. Former Residence of Xu Zhimo

Xu Zhimo (1897～1931) was a famous prose writer and modern poet. He made an important contribution to our country’s new poetry.

In 1925, his father built the western-style residence at Ganhe Street of Xiashi Town. On November 16, 1926, Xu Zhimo and his wife Lu Xiaoman came back from Beijing and then lived here but were forced to leave to Shanghai because of the war. In 1999, the residence was restored by the Government of Haining.

XII. Residence of Zhang Zongxiang

Zhang Zongxiang (1882~1965) was a famous modern scholar. He was good at writing poems and articles, and he was well versed in medicine, traditional dramas, literature, history, geography and calligraphy.

His former residence was built at Cangji Street of Xiashi Town in 1939, where he was born on April 3, 1882 and part of the residence was restored by the Municipal Government of Haining in 2000.

XIII. Former Residence of JinYong

The original name of JinYong is Zha Liangyong. He was born in Zha’s Heshan house near Yuanhua Town of Haining County on February 6, 1924. He is a famous Kung fu novelist.

In 1998, Zha’s Heshan House was restored and confirmed as Former Residence of JinYong, and the famous scholar Fen Qiyong inscribed for it.

XIV. San Mao Park and Zhang Lepin Memorial Hall

On November 10, 1910, the outstanding caricaturist Zhang Lepin was born in Huangantou Village of Haitang in Haiyan County.

In 1983, the government of Haiyan built “San Mao Park”. Zhang Lepin Memorial Hall was in it, for which the famous writer Ba Jin inscribed.

XV. Painting and Calligraphy Gallery of Lu Weizhao

Lu Weizhao(1899~1980) was born in Xincang Town of Pinhu County.

The calligraphy of Lu Weizhao was unique, and he was called a “great lonely master”.

In 1995, the Government of Pinhu built the Painting and Calligraphy Gallery of LuWeiZhao.