Wuxi Bishan Poetry Society

Wuxi Bishan Poetry Society

The Bishan Poetry Society faces the Lakeside Mountain Pavilion and is backed by the verdant ridges of Jiulong. Ascending the stone steps to the platform, you’ll find a five-bay main hall with a tea lounge inside. In front of the hall, the golden stone engraving “Bishan Poetry Society,” written by Wen Zhengming, is displayed. Behind the hall lies an inscribed stone tablet commemorating the society. On both sides are wing rooms, surrounded by corridors, with an ancient magnolia and a loquat tree in the courtyard.

The Poetry Society was first established during the Chenghua era of the Ming Dynasty (1482). Qin Xu (1410–1494), a local gentry and descendant of the Northern Song literary figure Qin Shaoyou, was a respected elder in the literary circles of the region. From childhood, he was known for his vast knowledge and remarkable memory, writing thousands of words in daily notes after reading. His poetry resembled the style of Lu You, and he enjoyed traveling through mountains and lakes. His son, Qin Xun, was the first member of the Qin family to pass the imperial examination and become a Jinshi after their relocation to Wuxi, later serving as prefect of Wuchang. During the Chenghua period, Qin Xu selected a site at the Longquan Monastery of Huishan Temple to construct the Hall of Ten Elders, building spaces such as “You He,” “Juan Ai,” “Xiao Xiang,” and “Yi Jia.” He named the gathering “Poetry Society,” and the ten elders would meet here to compose poems. These ten scholars—sixty or seventy years old—would gather on fine days, discussing the times, remembering the past, composing verse, and enjoying poetic discussions. Outside these ten, no other guests were allowed except for the monk Juexing of Huishan Temple, who would attend uninvited, and each gathering would result in a poem. They would enjoy a few dishes of festive food, drink from a shared bowl, and go through eight or nine rounds of wine. This formed one of the most famous poetry societies of the time, not only renowned within Wuxi but also throughout the Jiangnan region. It became a celebrated gathering place for literary elders, and also the precursor to later scholarly societies in the area.

According to Shao Bao’s records, these ten elders were: Qin Xu, styled Jingfu and also known as Xiujing, aged 85; Li Shu, styled Shunming and also known as Yan’an, aged 86; Chen Lv, styled Tianze and also known as Xunan, aged 83; Lu Mian, styled Maocheng and also known as Zhushi, aged 82; Gao Zhi, styled Weiqing and also known as Meian, aged 79; Huang Lu, styled Gonglu and also known as Xingxuan, aged 73; Yang Li, styled Shuli and also known as Tingyu, aged 72; Chen Gongmao, styled Xingzhi and also known as Yuxi, aged 69; Shi Lian, styled Yanqing and also known as Beiyeh, aged 61; and Pan Xu, styled Jifang and also known as Yulin, under 60 years old. These ten elders, whenever the weather was mild, would sit in order of age. Whenever moved by the seasons or current events, or when reminiscing about ancient sites or people, they would hold gatherings of elder scholars. It was stipulated that no outsiders beyond the ten were allowed, with the exception of the Huishan Temple monk Juexing, who would attend without invitation. Each meeting produced a poem. During poetry discussions, several plates of festive dishes were served, along with a shared bowl of drink, and eight or nine rounds of wine.

Over sixty years after the society’s founding, during the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty, notable Wuxi literati such as Gu Kejiu, Hua Cha, and Wang Wen re-established the society. By the early Qing Dynasty, Qin Songling, the ninth-generation descendant of Qin Xu, formed the Dujiɑ Society and compiled the poetic works of the Bishan Poetry Society into the anthology “Bishan Collection.” Later, the Bishan Poetry Society fell into obscurity for a long time until after the Xinhai Revolution, when its plaque was rediscovered. Tang Wenqi then authored the “Inscription on the Carved Stone of Bishan Poetry Society,” which was placed on the left side of the rock slope in the society’s backyard.

It wasn’t until the 1950s that the society gradually regained its former appearance. A major renovation was carried out in 1982, and a stone slab was erected at the entrance, engraved with a poem by Wu Kuan, the top imperial scholar of the Ming Dynasty, praising the grandeur of the Bishan Poetry Society in its early days.