The Former Residence and Memorial Hall of Song Qingling is located in her hometown of Shanghai, on the bustling Huaihai Road, offering a tranquil retreat amidst the city’s hustle and bustle. The main structure comprises the Song Qingling Cultural Relics Museum, a garage, and the main building. The main building, situated in the center of the courtyard, was Song Qingling’s residence during her lifetime, surrounded by gardens and lawns, and encircled by over 30 century-old camphor trees, which Song Qingling particularly favored.
The camphor trees are depicted in the Suzhou Education Edition, Grade 8, Chinese textbook, ‘The Camphor Trees of Song Qingling’s Former Residence’. Originally a private villa of a German, this cream-colored building served as Song Qingling’s workplace and residence from 1949 to 1963 for nearly 15 years, and it is an important site for her state activities, preserving many precious historical moments and a vast collection of cultural relics. Upon entering the Song Qingling Former Residence and Memorial Hall, visitors first encounter a white statue of Song Qingling. Behind the statue lies the Song Qingling Cultural Relics Museum, which houses over 15,000 items of Song Qingling’s cultural relics, including photographs, correspondence, her university diploma, books, personal and work items, gifts from state activities, items belonging to Song Qingling’s relatives, and the meticulously preserved Sun Yat-sen seal that Song Qingling safeguarded through many hardships. Adjacent to the museum is the garage, which holds two automobiles: a ‘Hongqi’ brand sedan transferred from Beijing for Song Qingling’s use and a ‘ZIM’ brand sedan gifted by Stalin. The main building to the south maintains its original furnishings as during Song Qingling’s lifetime. The ground floor includes a hallway, living room, dining room, and library, with a ‘Galloping Horse’ painting by Xu Beihong hanging on the hallway wall, and a portrait of Sun Yat-sen on the living room’s back wall. The second floor consists of bedrooms and an office, with a set of rattan furniture that was a wedding gift from Song Qingling’s parents, and a sofa and coffee table previously used by Sun Yat-sen. The former residence offers free volunteer guided tours on the hour, with specific times posted on the notice board at the entrance. Although the site does not provide catering services, Huaihai Road, one of Shanghai’s bustling streets, offers numerous dining options. The site’s entrance features a shopping point – the Visitor Center, primarily selling souvenirs manufactured around Sun Yat-sen’s concept of ‘Universal Love’. Opening hours are Tuesday to Sunday from 09:00 to 17:00; closed all day on Mondays. Preferential policies include free entry for children aged 6 (inclusive) or under 1.3 meters (inclusive) in height; half-price for children aged between 6 and 18 (inclusive). Elderly aged 70 (inclusive) and above with valid identification enter for free; those aged 60 (inclusive) and above with valid identification receive discounts. Active military personnel, retired military officers, firefighters, and disabled individuals enter for free. Full-time college and undergraduate students with valid identification receive discounts. Martyr’s families, families of military personnel who died in service, and families of deceased military personnel enter for free with valid identification. Please note that preferential information is for reference only, and specific details should be confirmed with the Song Qingling Former Residence on the day of visit.A must-see tip for visitors to Sun Yat-sen’s Former Residence and Memorial Hall is that photography is not allowed inside the main building, and visitors are required to wear shoe covers (provided by the scenic area).
