The Wisteria Planted by Yuan Mei

The Wisteria Planted by Yuan Mei

The poetic magistrate of Suiyuan was full of charm, Writing as he roamed where he’d wandered before. He copied texts as an official with a spade in hand, While ancient wisteria vines twisted like twin dragons. These are the verses written by Qing Dynasty poet Wu Shaocha upon seeing the wisteria tree personally planted by the great poet Yuan Mei in the courtyard of the Shuyang County government office. This wisteria, planted by Yuan Mei himself, has stood for nearly 300 years and still thrives vigorously in the courtyard of the Shuyang County Government Office. The base of the wisteria tree is about five feet in diameter, climbing up an ancient locust tree. Its vines twist and spiral like coiling dragons around beams—truly a magnificent sight. When spring returns and swallows skim willow branches, the tender leaves of the wisteria emerge fresh and green, bursting into bloom. The lush, verdant vines sway gently in the breeze, resembling a purple mist or a giant green umbrella, evoking a sense of flourishing vitality and refined elegance. Yuan Mei was one of the magistrates in Shuyang’s history who left behind a legacy of virtuous governance. A native of Qiantang, Zhejiang (present-day Hangzhou), with the courtesy name Zicai, he served as the magistrate of Shuyang in the eighth year of the Qianlong reign (1743).

Yuan Mei achieved remarkable results during his tenure in Shuyang. Upon taking office, he placed great emphasis on investigation and research. He carefully inspected every aspect—from local customs and geography to mountains, rivers, officials, common people, administration, and production. He documented major issues in detail and often composed poems as testimonials. Some of the problems he resolved were also recorded in his poetry. For instance, noting the terrible state of water infrastructure across the county, he wrote: "With silver coins in hand, thousands of acres bought—yet not a single stream restored." Here, “silver coins” refer to money. The poem criticizes those who only buy land but neglect irrigation, leading to both floods and droughts. Faced with disasters like floods, droughts, and locust plagues, he lamented in verse: "The floodwaters blur the east-west paths; locust swarms arrive like tides at dawn or dusk," and "For ten years under my rule, the land lay shrouded in troubled waters—can the Liutang River be free of regret?" Based on these conditions, Yuan Mei mobilized the people to dig canals and manage waterways, striving to eliminate the disasters at their root. During his time in Shuyang, Yuan Mei focused both on production and cultural education. He emphasized talent cultivation and selection, even personally writing teaching materials for students, bringing stability to people’s lives and revitalizing social ethos. In his poem “Eight Initiatives as Magistrate of Shuyang,” he wrote: “I wish to reclaim Pochi’s wilds; buried in paperwork, I draft each decree myself. I buy mulberry seeds for the silkworm women, and compose texts to teach the scholars.”

In just a few years in office, Yuan Mei indeed nurtured and recommended a number of talented individuals. Among the literati, one passed the imperial examination as a Jinshi, and four became Juren (successful candidates in the provincial exam). Lü Youxiang, a young scholar from Shuyang, lost his father at an early age and came from a poor family, but he was diligent, studious, and eager to do good. Yuan Mei held him in high regard and, through his strong recommendation, Lü was appointed as Tongzhi (an official rank) of Caozhou Prefecture. In handling daily administrative tasks, no matter how trivial or numerous, and regardless of whether disputes involved officials or commoners, Yuan Mei personally investigated and made decisive rulings without delay or procrastination.

Yuan Mei led a life filled with poetry. Outside of official duties, he enjoyed traveling, admiring flowers and scenery, and associating with literary friends. Regarding the wisteria he planted in the county government courtyard, there is a legend: once, after finishing his work, Yuan Mei went for a stroll with his attendants by the Xintiaohé River in the western countryside of Shuyang. There, he found the ancestral garden and pine forest of Hu Jianjing, an editor at the Hanlin Academy. The garden was rich with plants and flowers. Yuan Mei visited Hu’s home to admire the blossoms. Inspired by the floral displays and planting, he personally brought back a wisteria vine and a locust sapling, which he planted in the county government courtyard. With careful nurturing, they gradually grew tall. Yuan Mei was delighted by their progress and wrote: “Who says magistrates have no leisure? Shuyang is truly fit to cradle one’s carriage. I plant flowers all year with a spade in hand, While clerks copy texts smoothly in their halls.” After Yuan Mei was transferred from Shuyang, people protected this wisteria tree with deep affection for many years. Over time, it has attracted countless literati and tourists, and together with Yuan Mei’s poetry, it has been passed down through generations.