Mar 03 2008
This old house - Tangfang Hutong 糖房胡同
Before 1942. From L to R: chauffeur Lao Xing 老邢, a maid, my great grandma, grandaunt Lucy, great grandpa, Sun Baichuan 孙百川 and Xiao Sanye 小三爷.
This European villa was on Tangfang hutong in Xuanwu Men - Martial Announcement Gate, near the Catholic church Nantang (Xuanwumen is located on the southern wall’s western section). Jiujiu, Mom and Xiaoyi were all born there. Jiujiu still recalled the church bell tolling all the time then.
The family lived there from 1927-42, sold it for 400,000 yuan after the passing of my great grandfather. Lucy commented that if it weren’t for Xiaojin’s demand, they probably would not have sold it so soon. She and two other sisters would not have wanted to split the family with their brother, my Yeye. Great grandma divided the proceed into six between five children and her, and moved to Canzheng Hutong where I was born, Jiujiu and his son are still living there at this writing. The villa was torned down in 2004 making way for high rise complex.