Lu Xun(鲁迅, 1881–1936) was a famous Chinese writer, philosopher and revolutionist from the early 20th century. An important person during the New Cultural Movement, he wrote the first novel in contemporary Chinese, “The Madman’s Diary(狂人日记)”. He often criticized the Chinese society in his times through his writings, and at the same time played a key role in the establishment of modern Chinese literature. Among his other works are “The Story of AhQ(阿Q正传)”, “Nahan(呐喊, Outcry)”, and “Wild Grass(野草)”.

ShaoXing(绍兴), ZheJiang(浙江) is the city where Lu Xun was born, and where he spent one-third of his life. Visiting this city, people always stop by at Lu Xun’s former dwelling (鲁迅故里), one of the biggest tourist attractions in the area. The scenery with the traditional Chinese atmosphere and the buildings that Lu Xun once dwelled in provide us with a great opportunity to feel and learn about the life and work of the great writer, and the world he lived in.

-Old Taimen of the Zhou Family(周家台门)
The entrance of LuXunGuLi leads directly into the Old Taimen(House Complex) of the Zhou Family. The south-facing complex, with white walls and black tiled roofs, is one of the best-preserved house complexes built in the Qing Dynasty in the area. The long corridors of the large house are connected to many rooms, including the study, the bedroom, the reception room, as well as the ancestor-worshipping hall. The house was the residence of the Lu Xun’s ancestors for decades.

-Former Residence of Lu Xun(鲁迅故居)
Lu Xun’s former residence is right nearby; the writer was born there in September 25, 1881. The house looks similar to his ancestors’ house, with many rooms and halls. Lu Xun resided in this house also during his years as a teacher. His friends and students often visited him there, in which the reception room played an important role. There is also a bedroom that belonged to Lu Xun’s mother and another for his first wife, Zhu An(朱安); the door at the north is connected to BaiCao Garden, Lu Xun’s favorite place during his childhood.

-From BaiCao Garden(百草园) to SanWei Study(三味书屋)
BaiCao Garden was a deserted vegetable plot at the back of Lu Xun’s house where he spent his early years. Lu Xun wrote about this place in memory of his past, mentioning that he used to play there with his peers, with the company of plants and birds and insects. It is well preserved even today.
The writer’s childhood, however, went through changes as he started his years in the village school called “SanWei Study”. It was a famous schoolhouse in the late Qing Dynasty, where Mr. Shou(寿镜吾) taught students to read and write. Lu Xun acquired the basics of his outstanding writing career in this place from age 12 to 17, receiving good education in the field of Chinese literature. The building is about 35 square meters wide, and there is the teacher’s desk and chair in the middle of the room. Students used to study in their seats under the window. We can see many photos of Lu Xun’s school days as well as related explanations on the walls.

-Lu Xun Memorial Hall
The memorial hall located near Lu Xun’s former dwellings contains a lot of valuable information, including plenty of real materials, that tells us the story of Lu Xun’s life, from birth to death. The two-story building begins the story on the writer’s early years in ShaoXing. A hologram show that illustrates Lu Xun’s memoir about a play is shown on one side, and there are also photos of Lu Xun’s hometown, family, and his transcripts about his childhood. As the tourists continue on the journey, they are introduced of Lu Xun’s later times in Nanjing, Japan, Beijing and Shanghai. People can see letters to and from Lu Xun, Lu Xun’s original works and translations, and group pictures and written oaths from the revolution. At the end of the tour of the museum, there are souvenirs related to Lu Xun as well as his books. Computers with comprehensive information about Lu Xun’s life and career, which includes a preview of Lu Xun’s literary works, are also a great source of knowledge that we must not miss.

Outside, the streets take tourists back to when Lu Xun lived. Traditional buildings, stores with Chinese attire, people selling special foods…. Stinky tofu is one of the most famous treats in ShaoXing; it has a strong odor, but the taste is surprisingly nice. We can also see WuPeng Boats(乌篷船), little wooden boats, roaming on the waters. Throughout the area, the view is very peaceful and beautiful, and full of pleasant excitement.

For anyone who is interested in Lu Xun, or planning to visit China, ShaoXing would definitely be a nice place to go!