Former Residence of Che Xiangchen

In November 1948, the educator and social activist Che Xiangchen moved into the yellow-walled villa at No. 16, South Sanma Road. Built in 1923 for employees of the South Manchuria Railway Company, this two-story Japanese-style residence became a crucible for a new era of Chinese education.

The building stands on a solid stone foundation, capped by a green-tiled sloped roof. Visitors enter through a semi-elliptical doorway beneath an inverted V-shaped canopy, stepping past two towering square stone pillars. Above, a spacious balcony with patterned lattice railings frames three elliptical glass windows and one square window. Inside, eight rooms—including a study, office, and boiler room—spread across 264 square meters. Outside, two pine trees guard the eastern iron gate, while a tall, historic locust tree stands to the west.

Human memories cling to these spaces. In January 1949, Che's son, Che Shushi, arrived from Jilin at dusk. He waited by the locked door until a black car pulled up. Che Xiangchen stepped out, led his son up the stairs, and presented him with a vertically printed copy of the Selected Works of Mao Zedong and a notebook marked for the upcoming year. In these same rooms, Che hosted his former student Zhao Zhenfan, a commander who had fought in the defense of Beidaying during the September 18th Incident. Here, they talked late into the night. Che also used this home to support his relatives' children, housing them while they pursued their studies.

By 2006, the villa was slated for demolition as a dilapidated property. Che Shushi petitioned the Shenyang government to preserve his father's last surviving residence. Backed by the China Association for Promoting Democracy, the city resolved complex property disputes, restoring the structure to its original state. Designated a provincial revolutionary relic in 2021, the building now houses a railway library. The black marble plaque on the courtyard wall reminds passersby of the educator who once sat by these windows, planning the future of regional schools.