Former Residence of Xu Xiake and Stone Carvings in Qingshan Hall

Former Residence of Xu Xiake and Stone Carvings in Qingshan Hall

The Former Residence of Xu Xiake and the Stone Carvings in Qingshan Hall are designated as Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level.

The former residence of Xu Xiake is situated in Nanyangqi Village, Xuxiake Town. It was originally built during the Ming Dynasty, covering an area of 1,160 square meters with a construction area of 500 square meters, and now includes three courtyards with side rooms. The flower hall displays exhibits about Xu Xiake’s life and his research on karst landscapes and waterways; the main hall is called “Chongli Hall”; the courtyard has a podocarpus tree planted by Xu Xiake himself. To the southeast of the residence lies Shengshui Bridge, also built during the Ming Dynasty. Legend has it that every time Xu Xiake set off on a boat trip, his mother would see him off here. To the southwest of the residence stands Qingshan Hall, constructed in the 48th year of the Wanli reign during the Ming Dynasty (1620), with 76 stone carvings embedded in its walls, including works by renowned artists such as Ni Zan, Song Lian, Dong Qichang, Wen Zhengming, Zhu Yunming, and Huang Daozhou. Behind Qingshan Hall lies the tomb of Xu Xiake.

Qingshan Hall is located in Machang, Nan Changqi Village. It was first built in the first year of the Tianqi era of the Ming Dynasty (1621). It was destroyed in warfare in the 17th year of the Chongzhen era (1644). The stone carvings survived and were later moved to be embedded in the walls of the Xu Family Ancestral Hall. In 1978, Qingshan Hall was rebuilt on the banks of the Huangxi River, south of the village. The hall faces east and is surrounded by water on three sides, covering an area of 538 square meters. It is built in the style of the Ming Dynasty, featuring three open connected rooms with a depth of ten bays, exuding an antique charm. The central plaque inscribed with “Qingshan Hall” was written by Zhu Muzuo. In front is a 1.8-meter-tall statue of Xu Xiake and his mother. The southern, western, and northern walls are inlaid with 76 stone carvings from Qingshan Hall and two wooden engravings of the “Brief Preface to the Qingshan Hall Calligraphy Collection.”

The tomb of Xu Xiake is located in the backyard of Qingshan Hall. It is a relocated tomb built in the style of the Ming Dynasty. It was moved here from Mawan in 1978 and reconstructed in 1985 according to the tomb design depicted in the “Xu Family Genealogy.” The tomb site covers an area of 754 square meters. The tomb ring is made of bluestone, standing 1.50 meters high with a circumference of 7.93 meters, and the earthen tomb mound is 0.37 meters high. The tomb faces east and features an original granite stele from the early Qing Dynasty, which is 1.20 meters tall and 40 centimeters wide. The top of the stele bears the horizontally inscribed and sunken characters “17th Generation,” while the middle features the upright and raised inscription “Tomb of Xu Xiake, the Noble Scholar of the Ming Dynasty.” In front of the stele is a sacrificial platform paved with blue bricks, measuring 6.20 meters long and 4.90 meters wide. In front of the platform stands a 2.7-meter-tall full-body statue of Xu Xiake. On either side of the statue are horizontal memorial steles: the left one bears the inscription by [Name Redacted] reading “Love the Motherland, Devote to Science, Respect Practice”; the right one is the stele text for the Xu Xiake statue, written by Zhou Ningxia and inscribed by Pan Qi. The tomb garden is planted with pines, cypresses, flowers, and is surrounded by gravel paths.

Shengshui Bridge is located to the east of Qingshan Hall. It was originally built during the Ming Dynasty and rebuilt in the 13th year of the Republic of China (1924). The bridge is 19.40 meters long, 2.5 meters wide, and 3.20 meters high. It is a single-arch stone slab bridge made of coarse-grained stone, running from north to south, with 24 stone steps. On the east and west sides of the bridge top are the three raised characters “Shengshui Bridge” in regular script. The stone pillars on both sides of the bridge pier are inscribed with couplets, all in raised characters. The inner couplet reads: “Once the immortal Xu resided in the northern house, now the rainbow shadow still lies over Nanyang.” The outer couplet reads: “The scenic wonder is renewed, boats and travelers reach the world’s ends; the water reflections remain unchanged, the clear currents and rapids mirror nature.” Legend says that Xu Xiake’s mother would come here to see him off each time he embarked on a boat journey.

The stone carvings of Qingshan Hall are embedded in the walls of Qingshan Hall in Machang. Qingshan Hall was originally built by the famous Ming Dynasty geographer Xu Xiake next to his old residence to commemorate his mother’s recovery from a serious illness. The poems, essays, and inscriptions Xu Xiake solicited for Qingshan Hall and the painting “Autumn Garden Morning Scenes” — along with 85 pieces of calligraphy by 94 notable figures, including those left by his ancestor Xu Qi — were engraved on stone. Among them are works by renowned painters, writers, and scholars such as Ni Zan of the Yuan Dynasty and Song Lian, Dong Qichang, Mi Wanzhong, Li Dongyang, Wen Zhengming, Zhu Yunming, Huang Daozhou, Gu Dingchen, Gao Panlong, Ni Yue, and Wu Kuan of the Ming Dynasty, totaling 76 well-preserved stone tablets.

Xu Xiake (January 5, 1587 – March 8, 1641), courtesy name Hongzu, art name Zhenzhi, also known as Xiake, was a Han Chinese from Jiangyin, Southern Zhili (present-day Jiangsu), during the Ming Dynasty. Influenced by his father in his youth, Xu Xiake developed a love for books on history, geography, exploration, and travel. These works fostered in him from an early age a deep appreciation for the magnificent landscapes of his homeland and inspired his ambition to traverse its famous mountains and rivers. “The Travel Diaries of Xu Xiake” documents various scenic spots, historical sites, and local customs. The day the travel diaries begin (May 19) is celebrated as China Tourism Day. Xu Xiake not only made significant contributions to geography but also to literature... More details about Xu Xiake ++

Xuxiake Town: Xuxiake Town (Xūxiákè Zhèn) is located in the southern part of Jiangyin City, Jiangsu Province, covering an area of 110 square kilometers, including 700 hectares of water surface. It has a registered population of 107,250. The town government is located at No. 67 Jinfeng Middle Road, Huangtang, 24 kilometers south of the city government. It borders Zhutang Town and Zhouzhuang Town to the east, Yianqiao Town of Wuxi City’s Huishan District to the south, Qingyang Town and Yuecheng Town to the west, and Chengjiang Town and Yunting Town to the north. The town administers villages including Beizhu, Mazhen, Hutang, Hongxing, Shangdong, Huangdong, Yangzhuang, Jinfeng, Huangtang, Fangyuan, Xinxumaomao, … More details about Xuxiake Town ++

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level