Jeme Tien Yow’s Former Residence in Guangzhou
3 min readIntroduction of Jeme Tien Yow
Jeme Tien Yow（26 April 1861-24 April 1919）born in Nanhai County，Guangdong province，was the first Chinese railroad engineer.When he was only 12，the Qing Government sent him to USA for study.In 1878，he entered Yale University and ma jored in civil engineering and railway building.At 20，he graduated with flying colors and returned his motherland to dedicate his talents.
In 1905，the Imperial Qing government decided to build a railroad that would link the capital of Peking to the important trade city of Kalgan.This railway wouldbe of strategic importance to the Imperial government.A decision was therefore made that the railway would be built without foreign assistance.Capital wouldcome from the government，and no foreign engineers were to be hired.Therefore，Jeme was appointed as Chief Engineer of the railway.At the beginning，many people were skeptical that the Qing government would be able to construct the railroad in the rugged mountains all by itself.But Jeme showed he was an able engineer and completed the work two years ahead of schedule and under budget.He designed a zig zag upwards railway by switching back the line near the Qinglongqiao railway station to overcome the steep gradient.When excavating the Badaling railway tunnel，he employed the vertical shaft construction method to accelerate the construction.In 1909，Peking-
Kalgan railway was completed.
It was the first railway constructed by the Chinese people themselves without foreign assistance.It wrote a brilliant chapter in the history of China’s railway building.For his contributions to railroad engineering in China，Jeme is still known as the“Father of China’s Railroad”.
Jeme was responsible for setting many railroad standards that are still in force in China today.He was also the founding member of the China Institute of Engineers.
Jeme was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree by the University of Hong Kong in Jeme died in Hankou in 1919 at the age of 58.He was buried at the Qinglongqiaorailway station，where the Peking-Kalgan railway crossed the Great Wall and the rugged mountains north of Beijing.
Afterwards，the museum was also established to commemorate the works of Jeme Tien Yow.
In 2004，Guangzhou government decided to rebuild Jeme Tien Yow’s Former Residence and establish a museum for him.No.42，yacai Lane，Enning Road is the place where Jeme Tien Yow was born and spent his childhood.This old building had two storeys and its floor area was only 40 sq.m.
Newly renovated museum can be divided into three parts:the Former residence，Memorial and front and rear gardens.The floor space expands to 200 sq.m.It is a typical original Xiguan grand estate characterized by classic grey bricks，ManzhouWindows and Tanglong wood door.The museum displayed many relics of Jeme Tien Yow，like couch，drawing instruments，copybook and ink disk that he used before，the steel rails and copper bells from Peking-Kalgan railway and the sleeper of railway track in the initial stage of Yue-Han Railway etc.
Besides the museum，a primary school named after Jeme Tien Yow is connected withthe museum by a green garden.The miniature zig zag upwards railway and Badaling Great Wall are built in the garden in the memory of Jeme Tien Yow-the Father of China’s Railroad.
