Sun Yat-sen's House

In front of you is the house where Sun Yat-sen lived, regarded as the father of modern China in both the People's Republic and Taiwan. He was the first provisional president of the Republic of China, proclaimed in 1912 after the fall of the last dynasty.

1A gift from Canada

In 1918, four Chinese emigrants living in Canada bought this villa for Sun Yat-sen. The street was then called Rue Molière; it received its present name, Xiangshan, in 1943. He and his wife, Soong Ching-ling, lived here from 1918 to 1924, at a time when Sun was seeking support to reunite a country carved up by warlords. Before that he had spent long years in exile in Japan, Europe and America, raising funds among overseas Chinese communities.

In this house he wrote some of his best-known works, including his political doctrine and his plan for China's industrial development, with ports, railways and canals.

After Sun Yat-sen's death in 1925, Soong Ching-ling went on living here until 1937.

Soong Ching-ling, one of the three famous Soong sisters, later played a prominent role in the People's Republic. The house opened as a museum in 1988 and keeps the couple's furniture, books and personal belongings.

2What to look for

• The grey pebble-dashed facade, unusual in the city.
• The red tiled roof and arched windows.
• The street itself, quiet and tree-lined as in concession days.