Huishan Ancient Town

Huishan Ancient Town

Huishan Ancient Town is a national AAAAA-level tourist attraction.

• Visit numerous ancient ancestral halls, shop for Wuxi clay figurine souvenirs, and enjoy local specialties like tofu pudding and xiaolong (soup dumplings).

Huishan Ancient Town is located north of Xihui Park in Wuxi and consists largely of ancient ancestral halls. The ancestral hall complex was initially built during the Tang Dynasty, flourished in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and most of what you see today dates back to the Qing Dynasty. These halls represent over 80 different surnames, making it a great place to explore your ancestral roots. Additionally, the town’s Wuxi clay figurines make for excellent souvenirs, and the local cuisine is well worth trying.

Huishan Ancient Town is enclosed by Heng Street, which runs from north to south, and Zhi Street (Xiuzhang Street), which runs from east to west. The eastern end of Zhi Street features a large archway with the four big characters “Huishan Ancient Town,” which is very recognizable. The northern end of Heng Street, at the intersection of Huaiqian Road and Tonghui West Road, is the ticket office. Entry to the ancient town is free, though some smaller attractions require tickets. The intersection of Heng Street and Zhi Street is adjacent to the Guhua Gate and Xiuzhang Gate of Xihui Park. A little further north lies the Renjielingshi Archway, behind which the Chengshui Well collects spring water from Mount Huishan. The Longtou River flows from here from the southwest to the northeast into the Grand Canal.

The ancestral halls are mainly concentrated along the Longtou River and on Zhi Street, with fewer on Heng Street. Apart from the sites accessible with tickets, many ancestral halls are not open to the public and can only be viewed from the outside, though each has an information plaque. Most of the halls feature typical Jiangnan architecture — white walls, black tiles, wooden doors and windows — with some even having small gardens. The Yang Oufang Ancestral Hall is somewhat unique, incorporating Western architectural elements and resembling a brick-and-stone ShiKuMen (stone gatehouse).

Along the Longtou River, from the southwest to the northeast, you’ll find Qianlu (Liugeng Caotang), the Wuxi Intangible Cultural Heritage Exhibition Hall, the Yang Oufang Ancestral Hall, the Lianxi Zhou Fuzi Ancestral Hall (Guangji Ancestral Hall — Zhou Lianxi being the author of “Ode to the Lotus,” aka Zhou Dunyi), and the Huishan Garden (Li Gong Ancestral Hall, where Li Gong refers to Li Hezhang, brother of Li Hongzhang). A small path behind the Yang Oufang Ancestral Hall leads to the Gu Dongyang Ancestral Hall (Gu Kehai Ancestral Hall), whose garden contains a large Taihu rock. On Zhi Street, the ticketed sites from west to east are the Ni Yunlin Ancestral Hall, Fan Wen Zheng Gong Ancestral Hall, Lu Xuan Gong Ancestral Hall, and Xu Ruzi Ancestral Hall.

The farthest northeastern site along the Longtou River is the China Clay Figurine Museum, which also requires a ticket. Inside, you can see both southern-style Wuxi “Big Afu” figurines and northern-style “Clay Figurine Zhang” works, as well as watch artisans craft the figures. If you like them, you can purchase Wuxi clay figurines right there — or explore the town outside the museum to find more.

For a touch of boutique charm, the tree-lined banks of the Longtou River are lined with rows of colorful umbrellas. Sitting at a shaded table with coffee or a pot of tea, gently cooled by the riverside breeze, is simply delightful. Nanjing’s Pioneer Bookstore has a branch here (No. 186 Xiuzhang Street), nestled within wooden lattice windows that exude a literary vibe.

The town’s cuisine is not to be missed. Huishan Tofu Pudding (No. 13 Heng Street) often has a queue; nearby Yiqin Yuan Xiaolong (known for crab roe xiaolong and featured on “A Bite of China”) is a must-try. Laocanguan (No. 3 Xiuzhang Street) specializes in refined Wuxi dishes, while Yimuyifentian (No. 24 Xiuzhang Street) serves excellent Suzhou-style noodles. Crispy oil cakes are another local specialty — you’ll spot shops selling them all over the town, perfect for snacking as you stroll.

The Huishan Temple Stone Pagodas, located inside the Guhua Gate of Huishan Temple in Wuxi, consist of one on the south side (the Tang Dynasty Dhāraṇī Pagoda) and one on the north side (the Song Dynasty White Umbrella Deity Spell Pagoda), spaced 10 meters apart.

The Tang Dynasty Dhāraṇī Pagoda was built in the third year of the Qianfu era (876). It stands 6.26 meters tall with a base diameter of 1.48 meters, and consists of three parts: the base, the body, and the top. The base has three sets of octagonal waisted pedestal layers, with a waisted Sumeru mountain at the bottom. The middle set of bases is covered with wave patterns, and the octagonal waisted layer features four lions in various poses, atop lotus petal pedestals. The upper set of octagonal waisted layers includes eight arched niches, each housing a seated Buddha, above which are inverted lotus petals, then an octagonal seat with railing carvings on each face and lotus finial corner pillars.

Huishan Ancient Town and Xihui Park can be visited together, with the park featuring attractions such as the famous Jichang Garden and the Tianping Spring, known as the “Second Best Spring Under Heaven,” which inspired the erhu masterpiece “Erquan Yingyue.”

The body of the Tang Dhāraṇī Pagoda stands on a stone railing base, shaped as an octagonal pillar fully inscribed with the Uṣṇīṣa Vijaya Dhāraṇī Sūtra, written by the “White Deer Mountain Taoist” Li Duanfu. The upper part of the pagoda body features an octagonal canopy adorned with lion heads at each corner, holding beaded tassel garlands. Above the canopy is a flat round stone engraved with lotus patterns. Supporting the inverted lotus petals above, eight square holes suggest the former presence of carved stone railings, now all lost. The lotus petals support a waisted column engraved with eight arched niches, each with a seated Buddha, above which is an octagonal canopy with carved beast head corner ornaments showing cow, sheep, deer antlers, and fangs. On top is a flat round stone with auspicious flower engravings, and the pagoda top is an octagonal spire with upturned eaves, topped with a plain round stone and finally a precious bead.

Huishan Temple, located at the intersection of Xiuzhang Street and Heng Street in Huishan (today’s junction of Huishan’s straight and horizontal streets), was first built during the Southern and Northern Dynasties, over 1,500 years ago. Its predecessor was the “Lishan Caotang” established by Zhan Ting of the Liu Song Dynasty’s Ministry of Personnel, who retreated to Lishan (Huishan) and exchanged poetry with Liu Shuo, the King of Nanping from the Southern Dynasties, with later contributions by Jiang Yan. Their poems were displayed on the temple walls. In 423, Lishan Caotang was converted into a monastery called “Huashan Jing She.”

The Golden Lotus Bridge, located in Xihui Park in the western suburbs of Wuxi, spans the Golden Lotus Pond along the central axis of the ancient Huishan Temple complex, between the Vajra Hall (former site) and the Imperial Stele Pavilion. Built during the Song Dynasty and renovated in subsequent eras, it was designated as a Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit in 1982 under the name “Huishan Temple Golden Lotus Bridge.”

The Golden Lotus Bridge is a three-span stone beam bridge, oriented east-west across the pond. The ends are stone abutments, with two stone piers in the middle supporting the beam. Each span consists of six stone beams — the middle four form the bridge deck, and the outer two are railing-bearing slabs, featuring classic Song Dynasty bas-relief designs of peony vines and cherubs. The central slab of the southern span bears the inscription “Mao De Tang Li Fu.”

The ends of the bridge abutments feature carved monster fish heads, four in total. The central piers have dragon head carvings (called chi, dragon-like but yellow) at each beam end, also four in all. The stone railings consist of alternating lotus column balusters and openwork panels, with drum stones at each end. The middle span is slightly higher, flat, and longer, while the side spans are sloped and shorter, giving the bridge a gentle arc. The entire structure is beautifully proportioned, stable, and richly decorated, a rare gem among ancient garden bridges.

Huishan Temple still preserves historical relics and structures such as the Guhua Gate, Tang and Song stone pagodas, Vajra Hall, Xianghua Bridge and Sun-Moon Pond, Golden Lotus Bridge and Golden Lotus Pond, Imperial Stele Pavilion, Songfeng Stone Bed, ancient ginkgo tree, Datong Hall, Zhulushanfang, and Yunqi Tower.

Thanks to its location in a scenic area, Huishan Temple has long enjoyed fame alongside the celebrated Tianping Spring. As early as the Tang and Song Dynasties, it was a bustling center of worship, once encompassing the entire Yugong Valley and Jichang Garden, with over 1,048 monk quarters. Over the centuries, poets, scholars, emperors, and generals visiting the Grand Canal often stopped here.

The former site of Wuxi’s Yugong Valley lies south of Huanggongjian, north of Huishan Temple, west of Mingquanli (Erquan), and east of Xiuzhang Street (around Yingshan Lake), covering over 50 acres. This classical Ming Dynasty garden was first built around 1587.

Its owner, Zou Diguang, styled Yanzhi and also known as Liudu Jushi, was a native of Wuxi and a Jinshi (advanced scholar) of 1574, serving as Vice Education Commissioner of Huguang. After retiring to Wuxi, he lived a life of indulgent gentility, choosing the Qinwangwu area between Mounts Xishan and Huishan to build his villa garden — Yugong Valley.

Calling himself “Yugong” (the Foolish Old Man), he spent over ten years creating 60 scenic spots, using the mountain terrain and taking the Huanggongjian stream as the water source. Streams, pools, and hills blend harmoniously. At one time, Zou’s garden was ranked among China’s four most famous private gardens, renowned throughout Wu region.

The ancestral hall gate is styled like a memorial archway, with a hip-and-gable roof and a turtle-shell-patterned stone base inlaid with bamboo leaf agate. Passing the Yuanshui Pool over the Suyuan Bridge, to the west lies an octagonal stone turtle pool, whose north and south walls are decorated with stone lion heads that spout Erquan spring water, hence also called Shuanglong Pool.

The Hua Xiaozhi Ancestral Hall is located inside the ancient Huishan Temple in Xihui Park, Wuxi, commemorating Hua Bao, a filial son of Wuxi from the Eastern Jin Dynasty. In 481, Emperor Wu of Qi honored Hua Bao’s former residence with the “Filial Son” plaque, recorded in the Book of Southern Qi.

During the Tang Dynasty, a dedicated shrine was built, housing a statue of young Hua Bao with long hair and beard. The hall has been destroyed and rebuilt multiple times; the current structure dates from the Ming Dynasty and was completed in the Qing Dynasty, remaining largely intact. Facing east, the hall features a four-sided memorial archway (commonly called the “Roofless Pavilion”), a single-bay square structure of wood and stone with exquisite ornamentation. Built in 1748 by the Hua clan to honor loyalty, filial piety, chastity, and scholarly honors, it is a commemorative structure.

To the west of the pool is the main hall, the Xiangtang, built in 1485 and renovated in 1762 while retaining its Ming style. It is a three-bay, eight-rafter building with a hip-and-gable roof, nanmu wood structure, and stone square columns and bases, all decorated in simple, elegant colors. Its inner walls hold 35 stone tablets from the Ming and Qing Dynasties, most replicated in 1984.

The “Second Best Spring Under Heaven” refers to Erquan at the foot of Mount Huishan. Legend says it was dug during the Tang Dynasty’s Dali era by Wuxi magistrate Jing Cheng, and named Huishan Spring after the monk Huizhao who lived there. Huishan has nine dragons and thirteen springs, but Erquan is the most famous.

Later generations placed Lu Yu’s spring evaluations, Su Shi’s poetic inscriptions, and Wang Shu’s calligraphy on par, collectively referred to as the “Two Springs and Three Wonders.” In 2006, the courtyard of the Second Spring Under Heaven and its stone carvings, as ancient structures dating from the Tang to the Qing dynasties, were listed by the State Council in the sixth batch of Major National Historical and Cultural Sites.

The lower pool is the largest, rectangular in shape, carved during the Mingdao era of the Northern Song Dynasty. It is approximately 7 meters long, 10 meters wide, and about 0.33 meters deep, located beneath the Yilan Hall. On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival each autumn, the bright moon is reflected in the pool, creating a natural spectacle known as the “Second Spring Reflecting the Moon.”

The pool wall features a stone dragon head carved during the Hongzhi era of the Ming Dynasty, commonly known as the stone dragon head. It is the first of the nine dragons and thirteen springs of Huishan, with a vigorous and rustic design. Spring water flows through the dragon’s mouth into the square pool, evoking the poetic sentiment that “water need not be deep to be spiritual if there is a dragon within.” In front of the pool stands Taihu rockery arranged in the shape of Guanyin standing atop an aoyu fish, commonly known as the Guanyin Stone. To its right is the Dragon Girl Stone, depicted as “gently lifting her emerald sleeves,” and to its left is the Good Fortune Boy Stone, shown as “pressing his palms together in prayer.” Beneath the stones is engraved a four-character inscription signed “Huiyan,” a relic from the villa of Gu Kexue, Minister of Rites in the Ming Dynasty, and relocated here during the Qianlong era.

The Second Spring is divided into three pools: upper, middle, and lower. The upper pool is octagonal and the source of the spring, with the best water quality. The middle pool is square and situated right next to the upper pool. According to the Huishan Records: “Living water flows gently, clear and lovely.” Both pools have stone bases and are enclosed by bluestone railings. The railings around the upper pool are polished extremely smooth, especially where people step, forming several indentations—records of nearly a thousand years of people drawing spring water for tea.

Shao Bao of the Ming Dynasty recorded: “In the third month of spring, in the fifth year of the Zhengde era, the people of Xi dredged the springs of Huishan. By the eighth month of autumn, the project was completed. There were three pools, two canals, one pavilion, and one hall, while the Shrine of the Three Sages (Zhan Ting, Li Shen, and Lu Yu) remained above the springs.” On the northern wall of the square pool is inlaid an inscription in large characters reading “Second Spring Under Heaven,” written by Wang Shu, an official of the Ministry of Personnel, in the fifth year of the Yongzheng era (1727).

The Zhide Shrine was built in the 30th year of the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty (1765). Wu Yue, the magistrate of Wuxi, along with Wu Peiyuan, the 101st-generation descendant of Taibo and magistrate of Suian County in Zhejiang, among others, donated funds to purchase the former site of the Zou Garden’s Shige Pavilion and Shenghe Hall at the eastern side of the Second Spring Pavilion in Huishan. They relocated and rebuilt it as the Zhide Shrine, dedicated to worshipping Wu Taibo, the founding ancestor of Jiangnan development, who “three times yielded the realm, beyond what the people could praise.” Confucius called him “a man of supreme virtue.” Hence, his descendants named it the Zhide Shrine. It is located northwest of Yingshan Lake, on the site of the former Yugu Valley from the Ming Dynasty.

The Temple of King Qian Wusu, also known as the Qian King Temple, is located at the intersection of Hengzhi Street in Huishan, adjacent to Jichang Garden to the south and Huishan Temple to the north. It was originally a clan temple built by descendants of Qian Liu, King of Wuyue (852–932), who had relocated to Xi, to worship their ancestor, King Qian Wusu.

The temple consists of five bays across three sections, with east and west wings in the large central courtyard. During the Xianfeng era of the Qing Dynasty, it was damaged in the battles of the Taiping Rebellion. Descendants of the Qian family renovated it in the 11th year of the Tongzhi era (1872). A stele inscription reading “Record of the Renovation of the Qian Wusu King Temple in Xin’an Township” is still embedded in the wall.

Address: No. 15, Changshouli, Beitang District, Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province

Type: Ancient town or ancient village

Recommended visiting time: 2–4 hours

Phone: 0510-83728121

Opening hours:

The ancient town is open all day, and the smaller sites within generally open from around 8:00 to 17:30.

Ticket information:

Free entry. The ancient town itself is free, but a combined ticket for the smaller sites requires payment.

Huishan Subdistrict: Huishan Subdistrict administers 9 community residents' committees and 1 family committee: Mianhuaxiang Community, Xinglongqiao Community, Wulixin Village Community, Sheng’an Yicun Community, Sheng’an Er’cun Community, Huichangli Community, Xinhuilu Community, Ronghu Community, Huiquanshan Community, and Huaying Family Committee. … More detailed information on Huishan Subdistrict++

Further reading:

·Top 100 Historic Site-type Scenic Spots of 2020

·35th Batch of National 5A-level Tourist Attractions (January 2020)