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Renovated Cha House is Officially Open to the Public!

ShanghaiWOWeng 2018-11-30


After nine years of renovation work, this century-old building has now been given a new lease of life! Previously known as the Qiu Residence, it has now been renamed the Cha House and is officially open to the public. In light of this opening, the team behind the opening is organizing an exhibition called “Respect for People”.

 

A famous century-old residence

 


The building used to operate as a school which was founded by one of the legends of China’s pigment industry, Mr Zhou Zong Liang. With a farm that saw rearing horses, snakes, tigers and other animals roam around the property, it was an institution that groomed many custom officers and revolutionaries, as well as a holding place for new local and foreign elites in China. But despite its new-found identify, Cha House brings rich history anyone living in Shanghai should feel curious to learn more about.


At the beginning of the last century, Shandong natives and brothers Qiu Xinshan and Qiu Yuqing arrived in Shanghai to find work in foreign industries. Thanks to their high-level savviness, they were well-liked by the owner and ultimately promoted to the Comprador position.

 


And just like that, the pair became a sensation within Shanghai’s pigment industry overnight.


 

In 1920, the brothers used their wealth to set up a business in two European villas near a Race Hall at the time. The villas had a luxurious garden and were referred to as the East and West buildings. Qiu Xishan resided in the eastern residence, while Qiu Yuqing stayed in the West building.




As business grew, the brothers purchased a plot of land on Yan’an Zhong Lu and Shikumen Yi Lu, upon which they built 10 newly-styled houses located at No. 470 Nian Wu Xin Cun, No. 540 Fen Yang and No. 504 Duo Fu Lu for rental purposes. Now, these places are regarded as one of the top historical pieces of architecture in Shanghai.

 


The Ming Li Secondary School’s south dormitory, one of the three largest private schools in the city at the time, was destroyed during the Japanese occupation in 1937 and subsequently bought the Qiu family’s east building to rebuild their dormitory in 1940. The animals living on the farm were either sold or given away and, during that period of time, over 2,000 pigeons that had been living in the gardens were unfortunately caught and eaten.

 


After the war, the west building was converted into a new National Life Club and was taken over by the Ming Li Secondary School following the city’s liberation. It was eventually demolished it in the 1980s but preserved the east building to turn it into an office space.

 

 

In September 2004, the Ming Li Secondary School moved to a new address, and the east building became one of the city’s protected historical features. Its original state hadn’t been renovated in over 80 years, and it was in a dire state with poor, unkempt interiors and a burnt rooftop.

 


In July 2009, restoration work officially started on the Qiu Residence and, on January 25th 2010, the east building was shifted with the help of hydraulic jacks before being moved to its final resting spot on February 7th 2010.

 

A fresh start as “Cha House”

 

In memory of Cha Chi-Ming’s contribution, the place was officially renamed the “Cha House”.

 

 

Cha came from a family of literary legends; a relative of Wuxia novelist Louis Cha, famous poet Mu Dan and Qing Dynasty poet Cha Sheng Xing. In 1994, he donated USD 20 million to the Qiu Shi Science and Technologies Foundation, which awards prizes to Chinese scientists who have made significant contributions to their respective fields.


“Cha House”: Preserving the spirit of old Shanghai



Today, the central structure of Cha House is 3-stories high, while its western and eastern towers stand 4-stories tall. For the time being, only the first two floors are open to the public.

 


Interestingly, the two side towers show different styles of windows on each floor.

 


The building has been meticulously designed to incorporate all the elements of Old Shanghai.

 


The front door faces Wei Hai Lu and is met with the alignment of Chinese parasol trees, which help recreate a classic scene from the Old Shanghai era.

 


The back door was previously lined with unique flowers and plants from a private garden, and  it now leads to Xingye Taikoo Hui.

 


The entire interior follows the principles and concepts of Old Shanghai with tiled floors, vintage elevators, red wooden doors and stairs.

 


The place is well-lit with spacious staircases and landing area that allows light to pass through.

 


There is a beautiful oriental-design terrace on the second floor that was well-preserved by the previous owners.

 


The terrace by the front door is floored with cemented tiles, and is the best photography spot in the entire place.

 


When visiting, we also managed to get a sneak peak of the third floor and its beautiful terrace, which is currently closed off until further notice.

 


The wooden structure is from the olden days above which sits the century-old rooftop.

 


When peering out of the towers, we were greeted by a beautiful view of the building’s architecture. When we think about it, this building would have been the tallest a century ago.

 

Learning half of China’s history in one exhibition

  


The first and second floors of Cha House will focus on Cha’s historical “Respect for People” exhibition.

 


Here, you’ll be able to learn  about half of China’s history and see works by legends like Wang Guo Wei, Jin Yong, Jiang Baili and Deng Xiaoping among others.

 


You’ll also learn about the beauty of Old Shanghai while locals who were born in that era will have the chance to re-live some of their favorite childhood moments.

 

Old fire hydrant and name plate left behind after the demolition of Dong Zhong Li

 

 

You can also redeem a free postcard and send it out here to a friend or a loved one!


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