Cave of Emptiness Palace Jade Emperor Hall and Ancient Well

Cave of Emptiness Palace Jade Emperor Hall and Ancient Well

The Jade Emperor Hall of the Cave of Emptiness Palace and its ancient well are protected cultural heritage sites of Wuxi City.

The Jade Emperor Hall of the Cave of Emptiness Palace is located at No. 10 Gongyuan Road in Wuxi City, while its ancient well is situated at the intersection of Renmin Road and Tushuguan Road. Originally named Qingyuan Palace, the Cave of Emptiness Palace was an early Taoist temple in Wuxi. It was first built in the second year of the Datong era of the Liang Dynasty (536) in Jiaoshan, Jiyang Township, east of the county, but later fell into disuse. Around the third year of the Dazhong Xiangfu era of the Song Dynasty (1010), it was relocated to the left side of Chong’an Temple in the city center and renamed the Cave of Emptiness Palace. During the Song Dynasty, as well as during the Yuan, Ming, and Wanli periods, it was destroyed by fire three times and rebuilt three times, with its scale gradually expanding. In the tenth year of the Xianfeng era of the Qing Dynasty (1860), it was once again ruined by war, leaving the entire complex in ruins. In the thirteenth year of the Tongzhi era (1874), six halls were reconstructed: the Three Pure Ones Hall, Linggong Hall, Huoshen Hall, Leizun Hall (the former residence of the blind musician Abing), Changsheng Hall, and Ancestral Master Hall. In the second year of the Guangxu era (1876), the Taoist priest Qin Ruifang raised funds to build the Jade Emperor Hall, which is now located at No. 16 Gongyuan Road. The grand hall faces south and stands tall and imposing; symmetrically arranged viewing rooms are built on each of its four corners, with a courtyard space left between the front and back rooms. The total floor area is 250 square meters. After the establishment of the People’s Republic of China, the hall was once used as a “Youth Center.” In 1984, it was incorporated into the Urban Park area and underwent comprehensive renovation; in 1995, the ancient well located to the south of the hall was also restored. The well is encircled by a bluestone rim, with the inscription “Cave of Emptiness Palace Public Well” engraved along the southern edge, and it is still in use today.

In July 1986, the Wuxi Municipal People’s Government designated both the Jade Emperor Hall and the ancient well as municipal-level cultural relics protection units.