“I request that the sacrifices begin with myself.” These words echo through time here at Tan Sitong’s Former Residence. This humble courtyard once housed a man whose ideals shaped China’s destiny. We stand before the very place where Tan Sitong lived, worked and made the ultimate sacrifice for reform.
Tan Sitong’s Former Residence is located in the old Liuyang Guildhall. It is found at 41 Beibanjie near Caishikou Department Store. In 1898, this was Tan Sitong’s Beijing residence. Tan Sitong named one of the rooms here the Misty Room. He compiled poetry there.
Tan was a radical reformer. He was close to Kang Youwei and Liang Qichao. His essays poems and letters were mostly written here. Tan secretly shared progressive works. These works criticized autocratic monarchy. They supported democracy, industry and commerce.
Emperor Guangxu admired Tan. He made him a cabinet member. Tan tried to persuade Yuan Shikai to support the Reform Movement. Yuan betrayed him. Empress Dowager Cixi sent soldiers to arrest Tan at the Liuyang Guildhall.
Friends urged Tan to flee to Japan. His father wanted him to visit home. Tan refused. He believed reform required sacrifice. He wanted to be the first to sacrifice himself for China.
Tan Sitong was executed at Caishikou. He was only 33. Thousands watched. He recited a poem he wrote the night before. “I shall die joyfully!”
Today the courtyard is a shadow of its former self. It was once home to more than 20 households. It was crowded and run down. Now it is a protected site. Renovation work is underway. The goal is to restore the courtyard. It will show its original appearance.
Liu a local resident said her ancestor helped recover Tan’s body. She grew up in the courtyard. It had old trees. Children played under them. The old bricks and carved windows told silent stories.
Tan Sitong’s father bought this house when he was an official in Beijing. It became the Liuyang Guildhall later. Tan Sitong lived here with his family. He studied with the scholar Ouyang Zhong鵠.
The house was a three-courtyard complex. Tan Sitong named his room “Misty Room”. He wrote couplets for it. After his death his body was brought back here. A memorial hall was set up in the “Misty Room”.
Tan Sitong’s Former Residence is more than just a building. It is a symbol of courage and sacrifice. It is a reminder that change requires dedication. His spirit lives on in this courtyard. It inspires us to strive for a better future. May his ideals never be forgotten.