The Old Wisteria Hall

The Old Wisteria Hall

The Old Wisteria Hall is a cultural tourism attraction.

The Old Wisteria Hall (Former Residence of Su Dongpo) is located at No. 79–81 Qianbeian (Yanling West Road) and was designated as a provincial-level cultural relics protection unit in 1983. Originally known as the Sun Family Residence at Guitang Bridge, it served as the dwelling place of the great Northern Song Dynasty literary master Su Dongpo (1037–1101). In the first year of the Jianzhong Jingguo era (1101) during the reign of Emperor Huizong of Song, Su Dongpo came to reside in Changzhou after being released from his exile on Hainan Island, and passed away here on the 28th day of the seventh lunar month of the same year at the age of 66. The Sun Family Residence was a compound, in the northeast corner of which grew a wisteria and a crabapple tree, said to have been planted by Su Dongpo himself. Beneath the wisteria there was originally an inkstone-washing pool carved from white stone, measuring 196 cm in length and 109 cm in width, with a rectangular recess in the center that was 164 cm long, 77 cm wide, and 60 cm deep. There was a small hole at the bottom edge; removing the wedge would cause the water to drain instantly, and refilling it would allow the pool to hold about fifteen to sixteen dan of water, which remarkably remained fresh even in the height of summer. The Qing dynasty poet Hong Liangji wrote in his poem “Song of the Ancient Wisteria”: “When the purple wisteria blooms, the ink pool swells; ancient hues clash vibrantly with one another,” referring to this very spot. During the second southern inspection tour of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing dynasty, the pool was relocated to the Yizhou Pavilion. The Sun Family Residence was destroyed in the wars of the Yuan dynasty, but was rebuilt on the original site by local residents in the mid-Ming dynasty, and thus came to be known as the “Old Wisteria Hall.” Currently, seven halls remain, including the main building consisting of three nanmu-wood halls, which feature an eight-rafter post-and-lintel wooden structure, measuring 12.6 meters in width and 11.3 meters in depth. The central ridge beam on the front is adorned with painted patterns. The building has a dignified and steady outward appearance, with a gently sloping roof and upturned eaves. Under the corridor, the central bay of the main hall features six wooden lattice windows, while the rear golden columns are partitioned into front and back sections by six screen doors. The east and west sides have half-walls with wooden windows above. The entrance building is a six-bay single-story structure with a stone-framed gate on the front, featuring a shallowly carved fangsheng (a traditional decorative motif) pattern on the lintel stone, along with the seal-style inscription “Old Wisteria Hall” in four characters, reflecting the characteristics of traditional Jiangnan architecture. According to the city’s master plan, to commemorate the Song dynasty literary master Su Shi, a Su Dongpo Memorial Hall is planned to be constructed on the original site of the “Old Wisteria Hall.”