Former Residence of Zhou Enlai in Huai’an was built in the late Qing dynasty and has two main dwelling areas, containing 32 rooms.
Zhou, China’s first premier, spent his childhood at the house before leaving his hometown to pursue further study in Shenyang, Liaoning province in 1910. Photographs documenting Zhou’s childhood, family and people’s admiration for him are displayed at the house.
In 1922, a memorial hall was built near the residence. Videos and images depicting Zhou’s life, and exhibitions about him are on display at the hall. In December, 2014, the scenic area at the Former Residence of Zhou Enlai was rated as a national 5A tourist attraction.
Zhou was born in Huai’an, Jiangsu province on March 5, 1898. He was instrumental in consolidating the Communist Party’s rise to power, formulating foreign policy and reviving the Chinese economy.
As a skilled and able diplomat, Zhou also served as the Chinese foreign minister from 1949 to 1958. Advocating peaceful co-existence with the West following the inconclusive Korean War, he participated in the 1954 Geneva Conference, the 1955 Bandung Conference, and helped orchestrate Richard Nixon’s 1972 visit to China. He helped devise policies regarding the bitter disputes with the US, the Soviet Union (after 1960), India and Vietnam.
