Trip Overview
When: October (best season for outdoor sightseeing)
Duration: 2 days
Travelers: Solo traveler
Budget: ~800 RMB (~$110 USD)
Transportation: Local transport in Tianjin
Essential Foreigner Info
Getting There: Li Shutong's Former Residence is located in Tianjin, near the Hai River. Take Metro Line 3 to Xiaobailou or Line 9 to Tianjinzhan Station, then a short taxi ride to the memorial hall.
Money Matters: Most attractions in Tianjin accept mobile payment (WeChat Pay, Alipay). Carry 100-200 RMB cash for small vendors and tips.
Language: English signage is limited. Learn key phrases: 故居 (gùjū - former residence), 纪念馆 (jìniànguǎn - memorial hall).
Transportation: Taxis and Didi (China's Uber) are affordable and convenient. The area around the residence is walkable.
About Li Shutong: The Man Who Left Everything Behind
Li Shutong (1880-1942), also known as Hongyi Master (弘一法师), was one of China's most remarkable polymaths—a musician, painter, educator, calligrapher, and theatrical pioneer who later became a Buddhist monk. His journey from elite intellectual to Zen master is one of the most fascinating stories in Chinese cultural history.
Born into a wealthy Tianjin family, Li showed extraordinary talent from a young age. He studied in Japan, became a pioneering modern artist in China, and then—at the peak of his artistic powers—walked away from it all to become a monk in 1918. His transformation from worldly artist to Buddhist monk represents one of the most dramatic second acts in Chinese history.
Foreigner tip: If you only know one thing about Li Shutong, know his song "Farewell" (《送别》)—it's been sung in China for over a century and was featured in the film "Story of the South City" (《城南旧事》).
The Memorial Hall: Walking Through His World
The Tianjin government restored Li Shutong's former residence and created a memorial museum. Due to urban development, the original location on Liangdian Street was demolished, but the memorial was rebuilt nearby using original bricks and tiles from the old structure—preserving the authentic spirit of the place.
The complex follows the traditional "田" (field) character layout—a quadrangle house typical of Tianjin from the late Qing Dynasty. Sixty rooms arranged in a rectangular pattern, with a garden and a unique Western-style study where Li Shutong practiced calligraphy and painting.
Exhibition Halls: Two Lives, One Journey
The memorial is divided into two main halls, separated by Li's life at age 39—the year he became a monk.
Hall 1: The First 39 Years (Li Shutong)
This hall documents his life as a scholar, artist, and educator. Born in 1880 to a wealthy merchant family (his father was a successful businessman who ran a salt business and Tongda Qianzhuang bank), Li received a traditional Confucian education before heading to Japan to study Western painting and music.
His achievements in those 39 years were staggering: he founded China's first music magazine, composed the timeless "Farewell," became the first to use nude models in art education, and mentored future masters like Feng Zikai (丰子恺) and Pan Tianshou (潘天寿).
Hall 2: The Second Life (Hongyi Master)
After age 39, Li became a Buddhist monk, dedicating himself to studying and teaching Buddhist law. Despite giving up most artistic pursuits, he continued calligraphy—his post-monastic work is renowned for its purity and simplicity.
Reality check: Li had two wives—one in China and one in Japan. When he became a monk, both came to Hangzhou to beg him to return to secular life. He refused. This decision remains controversial and adds to the mystique of his life story.
The Western Study: Where East Meets West
One of the most interesting spaces is the Western-style study (洋书房)—the only Western architecture in the traditionally Chinese compound. Here, Li arranged a piano by the window, bridging his two worlds of Eastern philosophy and Western art.
The garden (意园) covers 2,600 square meters with Taihu Lake stone rockeries, a pond, pavilions, and a memorial pavilion dedicated to the master.
The Final Years
Li spent his final years in Quanzhou, Fujian, where he passed away in 1942 at age 62. His last words were "悲欣交集" (Mixed Sorrow and Joy)—a perfect encapsulation of his extraordinary life.
Pro hack: Visit during weekday mornings for the most peaceful experience. The memorial can get crowded on weekends.
The Legacy of Master Hongyi
As I stood before his gentle statue, I thought about his famous metaphor: life is a three-story building. Most people live on the first floor (material needs), some reach the second floor (arts and culture), but few climb to the third floor (spiritual pursuit). Li climbed all three—and made it look effortless.
Zhao Puchu, former president of the Chinese Buddhist Association, summarized Li's life in this famous couplet: "Deep sorrow early appeared like the tragic flower girl, great vows finally completed like the、苦行僧 (pilgrim monk). Countless rare treasures offer the world its sight, one bright moon illuminates the heart of heaven."
The famous "Farewell" lyrics he wrote still echo through Chinese culture:
长亭外，古道边，芳草碧连天。
晚风拂柳笛声残，夕阳山外山。
天之涯，地之角，知交半零落。
一壶浊酒尽余欢，今宵别梦寒。
(Beyond the pavilion, by the ancient path, fragrant grass stretches to the sky.
Evening wind sweeps willows, the flute's melody fades, mountains beyond mountains in the setting sun.
Ends of the earth, corners of the world, old friends scatter like leaves.
A pot of coarse wine for final joy, tonight's dreams bring cold farewell.)
Visiting the Memorial
Today, the memorial preserves 60 rooms arranged in the traditional "田" (field) character layout—the same pattern Li himself would have walked through. The exhibition includes photographs, calligraphy, paintings, and personal belongings, offering visitors a window into this remarkable man's dual legacies: as a pioneering artist and as one of China's most revered Buddhist masters.
To call Li Shutong a "genius" feels like an understatement. He was a polymath who excelled in music, painting, calligraphy, drama, and education—then walked away from all of it to pursue spiritual enlightenment. In an era when most people were struggling to master one discipline, he conquered multiple fields with seemingly effortless mastery.
The plaque inscribed by Li Hongzhang (李鸿章)—"进士第" (Jinshi Residence)—still hangs in the courtyard, marking the family's scholarly prestige. Li Shutong's father, Li Shizhen (李世珍), was also a successful scholar-official who later became a wealthy businessman.
Walking through the memorial gardens, listening to the melody of "Farewell" that Li composed based on an American folk song, I feel a profound sense of connection to this complex, brilliant man. His story reminds us that life can have multiple chapters—and sometimes, the bravest thing is to walk away from success to pursue something deeper.
The memorial complex covers 2,600 square meters, featuring Taihu Lake stone rockeries, a pond, traditional pavilions, and a special memorial pavilion dedicated to the master. The exhibition includes both indoor displays and outdoor areas with stone engravings and calligraphy reproductions.
This famous song, "Farewell" (《送别》), became a classic that has been sung for generations and was even featured as the theme song for the film "Story of the South City" (《城南旧事》).
Li Shutong lived 63 years—39 in the secular world and 24 as a monk. His life and death were filled with poetry and mystery, as if everything was prearranged, or as if he was performing the final act of a great play, leaving countless regrets as the curtain fell before audiences could fully appreciate the performance.
What I find most remarkable about Li is that he never stopped seeking truth, goodness, and beauty. His cultural foundation was built on three pillars: Confucian (traditional) culture, new learning (democratic culture), and Western culture. These three elements intertwined and shaped his complex intellectual world.
Nearly every room in the memorial displays photographs, calligraphy, paintings, and introductions to Li's life. The museum is divided into two main halls, with the age of 39 serving as the clear dividing line—the first hall covers Li Shutong's first 39 years, while the second hall tells the story of the Hongyi Master after age 39.
The former residence is a late Qing Dynasty quadrangle building. The "田"-shaped layout includes southern and northern sections, with a garden and Western-style study for calligraphy, painting, and receiving guests. The entire compound, while not large, has an elegant and serene atmosphere that invites prolonged wandering.
Li Shutong was born into privilege—both the child of an official and a wealthy family—yet he pursued art and his inner calling to extraordinary heights. How remarkable that such a person could achieve so much.
The memorial also houses two studies: the Western study, the only Western-style building in the entire complex and Li's personal space with displayed artifacts; and the Chinese study, originally his father's study, now showcasing works and stories of teachers and close friends. Both are worth spending time exploring.
Li's journey to monastic life was unique. Unlike ordinary monks, he remained active in spreading Buddhist teachings. Though he gave up most artistic pursuits after becoming a monk, he never abandoned calligraphy—infusing Buddhist wisdom into his brushwork, creating a style of pure simplicity.
During his time in Shanghai, Li participated in the "Chengnan Literary Society" and formed close friendships with Xu Huanyuan, Yuan Xilian, Zhang Xiaolou, and Cai Xiaoxiang—known as the "Five Close Friends at the Edge of the World." Xu Huanyuan later supported Li financially, but eventually fell on hard times.
One winter day with heavy snowfall, Xu stood outside Li's home and called out: "Brother Shutong, my family has gone bankrupt. May we meet again someday." With that, he left in tears, not even entering Li's home. Li watched his old friend walk away through the snow until he disappeared from sight, then closed the door and sat down to write "Farewell" in one sitting, tears flowing.
In short, Li Shutong was a true master. And all true masters possess innate goodness and compassion, along with broad, tolerant, and merciful hearts. Some scholars believe Li's decision to become a monk was not world-weariness or deception, but rather a profound understanding of life itself—a return to simplicity and truth.
On October 13, 1942, Hongyi Master wrote four characters: "悲欣交集" (Mixed Sorrow and Joy). Three days later, after bathing and changing clothes, he passed away peacefully.
His final poem read: "Where am I going? The answer is beyond words—full branches in spring, a perfect moon in the heavens." A bowl completed his floating life, his coarse bowl filled with freedom.