A Shanghai home of Mao Zedong, where China’s former leader spent his longest time in the city, attracted nearly 200 visitors within two hours when the building reopened to the public yesterday after a two-year renovation.

Kang Jinhua, 90, was among the first visitors to the two-story house at Lane 120 Maoming Road N., part of a shikumen community called Jiaxiuli built in 1915. “The first time I visited this house was about 10 years ago. But today I found it has been changed a lot. The walls were repainted, showing a nostalgic ambience. And there are many new exhibits telling the history not familiar to me.”

Mao, then 31, spent June to December 1924 living with his family on the first floor at 7 Jiaxiuli.