Former Residence of Zhuang Cunyu

Former Residence of Zhuang Cunyu

The former residence of Zhuang Cunyu is a cultural tourism attraction.

The former residence of Zhuang Cunyu is located within the Jiangsu Changzhou Health School at Mashanpu. Zhuang Cunyu (1719–1788) was a Qing Dynasty scholar of Confucian classics and the founder of the New Text School. The residence was originally built during the Ming Dynasty’s Wanli era (1573–1620), expanded during the Kangxi era (1662–1722) by his father, Zhuang Zhu, and further enlarged during the Qianlong era (1736–1795) by Zhuang Cunyu. In the 10th year of Qianlong (1745), Cunyu ranked second in the imperial examinations (as Zhuangyuan was first), and in the 19th year, his younger brother Pei Yin ranked first, earning the residence the title “Zhuangyuan Mansion.” The central gate originally displayed two vertical plaques inscribed “Ranked Second in the Imperial Examinations” and “Ranked First in the Imperial Examinations.” The site originally included a water dock, screen wall, ceremonial gate, and over 100 rooms across buildings such as Qiyu Hall, Shenyu Hall, Ciyan Hall, and Weihui Hall, covering an area of 0.93 hectares. Both Cunyu and his brothers were born here. In the 52nd year of Qianlong (1787), Cunyu returned to his hometown to write the “Record of the Reconstruction of the Changzhou Prefectural School Temple,” and passed away in the residence the following year. From 1951 to 1954, the Changzhou Municipal Committee of the Chinese Communist Party established the Changzhou Municipal Party School here, which was later converted into school buildings by the Jiangsu Changzhou Health School. Today, only six west wing rooms, three dining rooms, three auxiliary rooms, five rooms of the floral-basket-style hall to the west, and the three-story Sanyuan Pavilion to the south of the street remain. In December 1987, it was designated as a municipal cultural relics protection unit.