Place to Go
Front Zhaojialou Lane
(china.org.cn)
Updated: 2009-09-23 10:38
Zhaojialou gained notoriety during the May 4th Movement for the slogan 鈥� Raze Zhaojialou.鈥� This refers to the residence of Cao Rulin at 3 Front Zhaojialou Lane in the East City District. Cao Rulin was vice鈥搈inister of Foreign Affairs of the Northern Government, and an important member of the pro鈥揓apanese clique. In 1915, he took Yuan Shikai鈥檚 orders and signed the infamous 鈥� 21 Demands鈥� treaty with Japan.
Front Zhaojialou Lane at that time was close to the eastern part of the city wall. Cao Rulin鈥檚 residence was a traditional Beijing鈥搒tyle four鈥搒ided compound, enclosed on all sides by a wall. On May 4, 1919, patriotic students attacked the Cao residence. The roof tiles were first knocked off with bamboo poles. The students then crawled through the front windows, as the heavy front door was locked with an iron bolt.
There are now 11 households on Front Zhaojialou Lane. The original Cao residence is gone, replaced by two four鈥揳nd five鈥搒tory buildings of a guesthouse.
