Xiaolou Chunqiu · Zhang Garden

Zhang Garden, located at No. 59 Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin, was named "Zhang Garden" because its original owner was Zhang Biao, a high-ranking official in the late Qing Dynasty. After the Wuchang Uprising, Zhang Biao resided in Tianjin. He purchased land in the former Japanese concession and rented it to Guangdong merchants, establishing a recreational area named "Luxiang Garden." A few years later, Zhang Biao personally designed and built a Western classical-style building in the garden, naming the main building "Pingyuan Building."
In December 1924, Sun Yat-sen and Soong Ching-ling were invited to travel north and arrived in Tianjin by ship, staying at Zhang Garden.
In February 1925, the last emperor Puyi, who had been expelled from the palace, fled from Beijing to Tianjin and subsequently stayed at Zhang Garden.
In 1935, Zhang Garden was acquired by the Japanese China Garrison Army, and Pingyuan Building was demolished. A two-story building was rebuilt on the original site to serve as the commander's residence. The main building was designed in an asymmetrical form, with a tower at the corner.
In 1947, Zhang Garden was requisitioned by the Tianjin Garrison Command of the Nationalist Party.
After the liberation of Tianjin on January 15, 1949, Zhang Garden became the first public office address of the Tianjin Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China.
History has endowed Zhang Garden with the vicissitudes of time, yet it has also given it new life. Today, "Zhang Garden" is open to the public as a museum. Although the old "Pingyuan Building" no longer exists, the historical events that took place in "Pingyuan Building" have become a permanent memory of Zhang Garden.

Post by COHEN SHARP | Jul 14, 2024