Soong Ching Ling Memorial Residence In Shanghai + Wukang Mansion + Wukang Road 2-hour guide with earphone included
Highlights
▲ Soong Ching Ling's former residence in Shanghai: 1. A hub for state affairs - After moving to Shanghai in 1949, this residence became her primary venue for conducting state activities. Here, she prepared for the new Political Consultative Conference, received international dignitaries, and wrote significant works like "Salute to the Communist Party of China." The living room witnessed the historic moment when she accepted the invitation to participate in political affairs in Beijing. 2. Her longest-lived "home" - Soong Ching Ling resided here for 15 years (1949-1963), affectionately calling it her "lovely home," which highlights the emotional connection, in contrast to the more work-oriented nature of her Beijing residence.
▲ Soong Ching-ling, renowned as the "National Treasure" and "Great Woman of the 20th Century," was celebrated for her unwavering revolutionary spirit, global vision, and lifelong dedication to women's and children's causes. Her enduring legacy continues to shape China's social development. Behind the sculpture stands the Soong Ching-ling Former Residence Memorial Hall, which exhibits artifacts related to her remarkable life journey.
▲ The century-old camphor tree in the back garden of Soong Ching-ling's Former Residence.
▲ The garden behind Soong Ching-ling's former residence.
▲ Since its completion in 1924, the century-long evolution of residents at Wukang Mansion reflects profound changes in China's social structure and housing policies. Architectural highlight: Hungarian architect László Hudec ingeniously utilized the narrow plot, designing a ship-bow-shaped corner with "voyage" as its symbolic theme, making it one of Shanghai's early veranda-style apartment buildings.
▲ In the early 1920s when Wukang Mansion was first completed, a film industry ecosystem gradually formed around it. Multiple film companies and studios emerged along Huaihai Road, and professionals naturally chose to live nearby for work convenience. For instance, Wang Renmei, the lead actress in the film "Song of the Fishermen," moved in for this reason, laying the foundation for an early community of film and television professionals. After 1949, the Shanghai municipal government took over the building and reallocated its units. Priority was given to cultural figures for check-in, turning it into a policy benefit for renowned artists. Performing artist Sun Daolin and Yue opera master Wang Wenjuan were among those who moved in during this period.
▲ Originally the residence of Huang Xing, it was visited twice by Sun Yat-sen.
▲ It is now the Wukang Road Tourist Information Center, featuring exhibitions of old house-related pictures, models, artworks, and photography. In 2024, it was listed as a member of Shanghai's "New Art Spaces."
▲ Sixian Building, named after the idiom "emulate those better than oneself."
▲ Built in 1932, this Spanish-style garden residence features an asymmetrical ship-like facade, textured cement walls, and a gently sloping red-tiled roof as its visual foundation. The highlight is the second-floor curved cast-iron balcony—its delicate arc breaks the building's symmetry, while its Italian-inspired semicircular design creates a dramatic scene under the canopy of plane trees. Writer Chen Danyan likened it to "Romeo's climbing balcony" in her book Shanghai's Romance, Luxury, and Sentiment. The collision of literary imagination and architectural form has transformed it into a vessel for urban legends.
▲ Hunan Villa, the residence of several modern Chinese revolutionaries, including a strong and independent female revolutionary.
▲ Mitan Apartments: See how architects create wonders in tiny spaces.
▲ Former Residence of Ba Jin, a significant site in Chinese literature.