For one person to visit a city | Wang Yiting once entertained Einstein in the Ziyuan Garden

Wang Yiting, a famous industrialist, calligrapher, painter and philanthropist in Shanghai in the late Qing Dynasty and early Ming Dynasty, twice served as the chairman of the Shanghai General Chamber of Commerce, and funded the Xinhai Revolution and the Second Revolution. Wang Yiting's former residence, named Ziyuan, is located at No. 113 Qiaojia Road, Xiaonanmen, Shanghai. In 1922, mr. and mrs. Einstein visited Ziyuan.

Pictured: Ziyuan is located at No. 113 Qiaojia Road, Xinmin Evening News reporter Jin Jing

Treat Wu Changshuo with the courtesy of a student

　　In the history of Haipai calligraphy and painting, Wang Yiting is a figure that must be mentioned. Wang Yiting learned to paint under the guidance of Xu Xiaocang in his early years, and later studied under Ren Bonian and inherited the style of Ren Pai. In 1912, the nearly 70-year-old Wu Changshuo settled in Shanghai. Wang Yiting was vigorously promoted in Shanghai's business and financial circles, making his reputation greatly enhanced, and establishing a leader in the art world for the Maritime School of Painting.

　　The relationship between Wang Yiting and Wu Changshuo has always been talked about by future generations. Wang Yiting treated Wu Changshuo with the courtesy of learning late life, not only to give Wu support in life, but also to vigorously promote his painting art, and Wu vigorously promoted Wang Mian in art, and the painting circle is often seen "Wang Painting Wu Title".

　　Wu Changshuo once gave the poet Wang a pavilion: "The heavens are strange and strange, and the pen casts pig iron ink cold rain." Wang Yiting also once emphasized in his self-description the state of "after forty years, on the topic of painting with Mr. Anji Wu and knocking on poetry without a false day".

　　In 1936, when a magazine introduced Wang Yiting, he said that he "had the thickest friendship with Wu Wei, and when Wu Wei was young, he did not skimp on his wealth, and was called Guan and Bao in ancient times, and now he saw Wang and Wu, and successively Hui Ying, comparable to the clouds."

The Ziyuan Garden is centered on a lotus pond

　　Wang Yiting's former residence Ziyuan is located at No. 113 Qiaojia Road. On November 13, 1922, when Einstein and his wife passed through Shanghai, Wang Yiting set up a family banquet in Ziyuan Garden, which was a sensation. Before the banquet, Einstein and his wife also toured the Zi Garden, admired Wang Yiting's collection of jinshi calligraphy and paintings from past dynasties, and observed Wang Yiting's own calligraphy and painting creation.

　　On November 13, 1922, the then "Republic of China Daily" described the structure of ziyuan in detail: "Wang Yiting's mother zhixiao, because her mother was not accustomed to the hustle and bustle of the city, purchased Ziyuan Garden at No. 113 Qiaojia Road, Xiaonanmen to move in. Ziyuan Garden, built by Jinjin Zhou, a jinshi Zhou Jinran in the 21st year of the Kangxi Dynasty of the Qing Dynasty, has been more than 300 years. After Wang Yiting moved in, he retained the original Qingyufang, Qintai, and Guiyunxiu Zhusheng. Because there are ancient zi in the garden, it is renamed Zi Garden, the scale of the garden is not large, but the structure is exquisite. The whole garden is centered on the lotus pond, which is planted with lotuses, fish are raised, and cranes and white geese swim in it. Surrounded by strange grasses, flowers and trees, mountains and rocks. A pavilion is built in the pool for rest. A two-storey house was built on the east side street of the park. The upstairs bedroom, downstairs are the living room, study, and studio, which are very spacious. Since Wang Yiting's apartment can be regarded as a typical Example of Chinese family, as a painter, he naturally has a collection of famous paintings from past generations and the fine works of calligraphy and paintings created by himself. He came to receive Einstein precisely in order to "take advantage of Dr. Ben's view of the situation in the country house and appreciate Chinese art". ”

　　In 1937, after the Japanese invaded and occupied Shanghai, Wang Yiting, who resolutely refused to take up a false post, resolutely left Shanghai with his family and went to Hong Kong despite his old age and infirmity. In November 1938, he returned to Shanghai due to illness and lived in Ziyuan until his death on November 13, 1938.

　　Today, Qiaojia Road, where Ziyuan is located, and the old city box near The Xiaonanmen are facing the transformation of the old city.

　　Xinmin Evening News reporter Shen Qihua