Shen Congwen’s Former Residence

Shen Congwen, a famous writer, was born on December 28, 1902 in a typical southern ancient courtyard at Zhongying Street, Fenghuang Ancient Town, Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Hunan Province. The courtyard was built by Shen Hongfu, Shen Congwen’s grandfather, after the demolition of the old residential building he bought in 1866.
Shen Congwen’s Former Residence was listed as a key cultural relic site under provincial-level protection in 1991. Shen Congwen’s manuscripts, original hand written essays, relics and pictures are on display now in the former residence, which has become one of the most attractive cultural landscapes in Fenghuang County.

Shen Congwen’s Former Residence was included in the sixth batch of key cultural relic sites under national-level protection on May 25, 2006.

The former residence was built in the fifth year during the reign of Emperor Tongzhi in the Qing Dynasty. It’s a courtyard with wooden structure, covering an area of 600 square meters. There are 10 rooms in total. Shen Congwen spent his childhood here. He died of illness in Beijing in 1988, and his ashes were buried at the foot of Tingtao Mountain in Fenghuang County. In the same year, the former residence was renovated and opened to tourists.