Jiangyin Zhongshan Park

Jiangyin Zhongshan Park

Originally the site of the Jiangsu Provincial Education Commissioner’s Office, Jiangyin Zhongshan Park spans an area of more than 70,000 square meters. Many of the park’s buildings and structures showcase the characteristics of classical Chinese garden architecture. The entire project features landscapes such as the “Lotus Hall,” “Yongmu Pavilion,” “Education Commissioner Sculpture Plaza,” “Zhongshan Memorial Tower,” and water channel elements. The Jiangsu Provincial Education Commissioner’s Office was the official institution responsible for administering the imperial examinations for scholars during the imperial examination era. Its origins can be traced back to the early Northern Song Dynasty, when it was known as Wanchun Garden, a private garden owned by a family surnamed Sun. In the early Ming Dynasty, General Wu Liang of Zhu Yuanzhang’s army stationed in Jiangyin converted it into the Wu Hou Office. During the Hongzhi reign, it was further developed into the Governor’s Field Office.

It was not until the 42nd year of the Wanli era (1614) that the Education Commissioner’s Office was relocated from Yixing to Jiangyin, at which point it became known as the “Education Surveillance Institute.” The Jiangyin County Annals from the Chongzhen era of the Ming Dynasty recorded: “The Education Surveillance Institute, located east of the county seat, was constructed upon the order of the first Education Commissioner Wang Yineng, who instructed the local magistrate Xu Dadao to oversee its establishment. To the north it borders Wanshou Mountain, to the west it connects to Xuelang Lake, to the east it lies adjacent to Guangfu Temple—grand, spacious, and magnificent, acclaimed as the finest government office in the Jiangnan region.” From its establishment in the 42nd year of the Wanli era (1614) in the Ming Dynasty to its abolishment in the 32nd year of the Guangxu era (1905) in the Qing Dynasty, along with the discontinuation of the imperial examination system, the office operated for a total of 292 years. Over the dynasties, it served as the base for various ruling regimes.

After the Xinhai Revolution, the back garden was renamed Shoushan Park. In October 1912, following the victory of the Xinhai Revolution, Dr. Sun Yat-sen, who had just stepped down as the provisional president of the Republic of China, was appointed by Yuan Shikai as the Director-General of Railways. During his inspection of the Huangshan Fort in Jiangyin, he gave a speech at Tongzi Hall in the city, urging the people of Jiangyin to build roads, develop transportation, introduce modern civilization, and proclaim that “the civilization of the nation should begin in Jiangyin.” His inspiring words deeply motivated the citizens of Jiangyin. To commemorate this great revolutionary pioneer, the people of Jiangyin rebuilt the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Tower in a prominent location within the park and relocated Tongzi Hall, enriching the cultural significance of the site.

In 2002, the Jiangyin Municipal People’s Government invested nearly 50 million yuan to rebuild Zhongshan Park, renaming it the Jiangsu Provincial Education Commissioner’s Office Site Park (i.e., Zhongshan Park), which officially opened to the public on January 28, 2003. The current Zhongshan Park is an open, urban garden that serves as a leisure and recreational space for residents. The entire scenic area covers 7.25 hectares (72,500 square meters), equivalent to 108 mu of land, divided into multiple fully functional zones including the Education Culture Area, Eco-Rest Area, and Amusement Activity Area. During the overall planning and design, the historical context was thoroughly explored, adhering to the concept of blending tradition with modernity and integrating Eastern and Western garden design philosophies. Modern technology was used to interpret traditional culture, recreating parts of the historic Education Commissioner’s Office and its back garden landscape, thereby creating a unique urban leisure garden space. This merges ancient and modern cultural areas into one, forming an oasis in the modern city.

Historical Evolution

During the Song Dynasty, Wanchun Garden was created, featuring the Wanshou Pavilion on Wanshou Mountain, the Zhuangyuan Pavilion at the foot of the mountain, several Wanshou Qionglou structures, the Cunxue Pavilion, the Ciuxian Hall garden, the Mohua Pavilion corridor, and the Guanyin Hall [Heart Sutra Stele Hall]. There is also a thousand-year-old purple wisteria planted during the Song Dynasty, which has thrived for over 1,300 years with lush green leaves.

In the Ming Dynasty, it was renamed “Qinghe Garden,” where the Jiangsu Provincial Education Commissioner’s Office was established. Structures such as memorial archways, the main gate, ceremonial gate, Dragon Gate, main hall, left examination shed, bell and drum towers on either side of the Dragon Gate, and student dormitories and dining halls were built.

During the Qing Dynasty, it was called “Ji Garden.” For 292 years until the abolition of the imperial examination system in 1905, 124 Education Commissioners from the Ming and Qing Dynasties administered the scholar examinations for the eight prefectures and three states of Jiangsu here, making the garden the back garden of the Education Commissioner’s Office. Education Commissioner Wang Xianqian oversaw the construction of Xuelang Lake, featuring a lotus leaf bridge, fountains, tree-lined slopes, pavilions along the lake, and a mountain spring drawing water from Wanshou Mountain. A waterside teahouse was also built at the foot of the mountain by the lake.

In the Republican era, the Boya Pavilion was built as a government office, and the Zhongshan Memorial Hall was constructed, leading to the park’s renaming as Zhongshan Park. In the first year of the Republic of China, Sun Yat-sen inspected Jiangyin, and the park featured the “Zhongshan Memorial Tower” and “Zhongshan Memorial Hall,” hence being renamed “Zhongshan Park.” In 1912, during his visit to Jiangyin, Mr. Sun advocated for “the civilization of the nation to begin in Jiangyin.” Due to this historical connection, the name “Zhongshan Park” has been in use since 1925.

In the early 21st century, the Jiangyin Municipal Government invested 100 million yuan to expand the Education Commissioner’s Office Site and the adjacent Zhongshan Park, transforming it into an open park integrated with public leisure and recreation. Numerous new structures were added, children’s play areas were built, and the Zhongshan Memorial Tower was renovated, making it the most popular “urban living room” in Jiangyin. The new Zhongshan Park consists of three major sections: the Education History and Culture Area, Eco-Rest Area, and Amusement Activity Area. Among these, the Education History and Culture Area best reflects Jiangyin’s profound historical and cultural heritage, serving as a new highlight for the city’s tourism industry and a new brand for cultural tourism.

Major Attractions

Sun Yat-sen Memorial Tower

In October 1925, to commemorate the passing of Sun Yat-sen, student unions from Nanjing South Jing Academy and Lishi Academy in the park donated funds to build the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Tower. In October 1912, during his inspection of Jiangyin, Sun Yat-sen had proposed the slogan “the civilization of the nation should begin in Jiangyin.” To honor this history, the park was renamed Zhongshan Park in the 19th year of the Republic of China (1930), and the name has been in use since 1925. The current Sun Yat-sen Memorial Tower was rebuilt in the 25th year of the Republic of China (1936) by the student unions of the two academies. The tower stands 5.40 meters tall, with seven stone pillars chained around its base for protection. The tower is now housed within a large glass case, preserving it from deterioration, upgrading its modest original state, and adding a modern touch.

Zhongbang Pavilion

The hexagonal Zhongbang Pavilion was built to commemorate Yan Yingyuan, the Jiangyin county magistrate at the end of the Ming Dynasty, who led the resistance against the Qing forces for 81 days and died defending the city. During the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty, Jiangsu Education Commissioner Yao Wentian inscribed the four characters “Zhongyi Zhi Bang” (Land of Loyalty and Righteousness) and embedded them on the south city gate. In 1937, Japanese artillery fire destroyed the gate, leaving only the characters “Zhong” and “Bang,” which were then placed in the hexagonal pavilion. These surviving characters have been mounted as a stele, preserving a historical relic while creating a scenic attraction. “Land of Loyalty and Righteousness” refers to the defense of Jiangyin for 81 days by its 60,000 citizens against 240,000 Qing troops. At the time, Jiangyin was a small city of just over 100,000 people, more akin to a fortress due to its many cannons and brave men. As Qing forces swept through major cities, Jiangyin held out for 81 days, inflicting heavy casualties on the invaders. A couplet later read: “For eighty days with uncut hair, they served their ancestors of seventeen dynasties; with one hundred thousand united in battle, they defended three hundred li of the Ming realm.” A saying in the Jiangnan region, “Jiangyin’s bandits are worse than Wuxi’s thieves,” speaks to the fierce spirit of its people. To this day, the people of Jiangyin take pride in this legacy.

Heart Sutra Stele

The culturally rich city of Jiangyin is home to “three wonders”: the legendary traveler Xu Xiake, the rare northernmost thousand-year-old red bean tree in China, and the extraordinary Heart Sutra Stele. The “wonder” of Xu Xiake, the “Sage of Travel,” lies in his remarkable life and his groundbreaking travelogue, the Xu Xiake Travel Notes, which span nearly all fields of natural and social sciences. The red bean tree of Gushan in Jiangyin is “wonderful” as it is the northernmost thousand-year-old red bean tree in China, unique for being a deciduous tree in winter unlike other evergreen southern varieties, and listed as a separate species in the World Botanical Dictionary. The wonders of the person and the tree can be appreciated through records, but the marvel of the Heart Sutra Stele can only be truly felt when standing before it.

The Heart Sutra Stele was inscribed by the Tang Dynasty monk Dao Song. Originally embedded behind the statue of the Maitreya Buddha in the Daxiong Hall of the Qianming Guangfu Chan Temple, it was destroyed in a fire during the Ming Wanli era. Song records describe “grass-script Heart Sutras covering the walls beneath the wooden bed of the Guanyin Bodhisattva.” The current stele is a recarving from a rubbing made in the third year of the Qing Jiaqing era (1798). The stele is embedded in the wall of the Iron Buddha Temple in Zhongshan Park, composed of six large rectangular bluestone slabs. It stands 2.87 meters tall and 5.12 meters wide, featuring the entire 279-character Heart Sutra in 13 vertical lines. Written in wild cursive script, the strokes are dynamic and majestic, with a rigorous structure and varied character forms. The stroke of the character “多” (duō) extends 2.07 meters; the character “聲” (shēng) has a horizontal width of 55 cm, with the thinnest stroke just 1 cm wide and the thickest up to 7 cm. Six characters in the text have strokes exceeding 2 meters in length. The characters vary in size and orientation yet harmonize seamlessly, flowing continuously with bold, vigorous strokes that are both ancient and graceful. At first glance, they may appear to be written backward, but they are actually upright—an extraordinary feature. The stele is not only a masterpiece of calligraphy but also of carving. Under light refraction, the engraved characters create a striking three-dimensional relief effect, making it one of the finest ancient steles in China and a treasured artifact of ancient Chinese calligraphy and engraving art.

Thousand-Year-Old Purple Wisteria

A standout living relic in Jiangyin Zhongshan Park is the robust, dragon-like purple wisteria entwined around steel frames. Among the 15 wisteria plants, two are said to have been planted during the Song Dynasty, boasting a history of over 1,300 years, thus earning the title “longevity wisteria.” They predate the Ming Dynasty wisteria planted by Wen Zhengming in Suzhou’s Humble Administrator’s Garden by nearly 500 years, making them even more precious. Bai Juyi once praised this plant in poetry, and the people of Jiangyin hold the wisteria in high esteem, visiting it every year starting from the Spring Festival. Due to its age and recent climate changes, the wisteria no longer blooms annually. In blooming years, between March and April, visitors can admire its majestic, weathered roots and branches adorned with pale purple blossoms exuding a fragrant charm. Legend says it was planted by monks, and some claim it seems to “whisper ancient Buddhist sutras.”

Sun Yat-sen (1866–1925), also known as Wen, courtesy name Zaizhi, alias Rixin, also called Yixian, childhood name Dixiang, and alias Zhongshan Qiao, often used the name Zhongshan. Born into a farming family in Cuiheng Village, Xiangshan County (now Zhongshan City), Guangdong Province. In his youth, influenced by the revolutionary traditions of the Guangdong people, he admired the Taiping Rebellion. He was a pioneer of China’s modern national democratic revolution, a great forerunner of the democratic revolution, the founder of the Republic of China and the Kuomintang, an advocate of the Three Principles of the People, and the creator of the Five-Power Constitution. He was the first to raise the banner of complete anti-feudalism... More details about Sun Yat-sen ++

Chengjiang Subdistrict: Located in the downtown area of Jiangyin, Chengjiang Subdistrict is the seat of the Jiangyin Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government, as well as the city’s political, economic, and cultural center. Covering a total area of 124.3 square kilometers (including Chengdong New Town Subdistrict), it governs 49 community committees and 22 village committees. By the end of 2008, it had a registered population of 229,403 and a migrant population of 108,458.

Chengjiang has long been a cradle of talent, producing the “Three Lius,” educator Wu Yanyin, patriotic eminent monk Ju Zan, pioneer of Chinese herbal chemistry research Zhao Chengguo, “Father of Chinese Robots” Jiang... More details about Chengjiang Subdistrict ++