Guancai Building on Gulangyu Island

Guancai Building, constructed in 1931, is also known as the ‘Book Pen Building’. It is n[...]

Guancai Building, constructed in 1931, is also known as the ‘Book Pen Building’. It is named for its ability to offer a spectacular view of the sunset and colorful clouds from the top floor.
Originally designed by a Dutch engineer for the Xu Chuncao Construction Company, the villa was later sold to Ding Yushu and subsequently changed hands to Chen Simin, the owner of Shanghai’s Gudicheng Toothpaste Factory. Today, the Chen family no longer resides here, leaving the villa vacant.

As one of the tallest structures on Gulangyu Island, the main attraction of Guancai Building is not its architectural design but the unobstructed panoramic view of Gulangyu Island from within. The view encompasses the sky’s colorful clouds and the sea visible from both the front and back, rivaling the beautiful scenery seen from Sunlight Rock. This is thanks to its prime location.

Unlike Sunlight Rock, the view from Guancai Building is more clear and distinct due to its lower altitude. However, years of neglect and the absence of its owner have made it impossible for visitors to enter and appreciate the imagined beauty, leaving them to gaze through the iron gate and broken windows in lament. Even if one could enter, the villa now serves merely as a staircase for ascending and looking into the distance, as the interior has been completely transformed.

The exterior of Guancai Building is open to the public 24 hours a day.