Mao Dun’s former residence is one of the famous attractions in Dongzha, located at the corner where Guanqian Street and Xinhua Road intersect. There are two residences of Mr. Mao Dun in China, one in Beijing and the other in Wuzhen. The Beijing residence was where Mao Dun lived after 1972, while the Wuzhen residence is the place where he was born and raised.
Wuzhen’s Mao Dun’s former residence features a common wooden structure architecture in the Jiangnan area, consisting of two buildings, with the front one having three flat rooms that served as Mao Dun’s bedroom, study, and reception room. Next to the study grows a palm tree planted by Mr. Mao Dun himself. Beside the house, there is a small courtyard garden with palm trees, geraniums, boxwood, cypress, and fruit vines. The rear building is a two-story small building used as a kitchen, dining room, and living room. Nowadays, people can experience the living scenes of that time here.
Mao Dun’s former residence does not have the grandeur of a wealthy family, but every room, from the living room to the bedroom and the study, exudes the elegance of the Shen family’s scholarly household. If you are interested in Mao Dun himself and his literary achievements, do not miss this place. The opening hours are 08:00-17:00 all year round; 08:00-17:30 all year round.
