Site of the Western Garden of the Jiangning Weaving Bureau

Site of the Western Garden of the Jiangning Weaving Bureau

The Site of the Western Garden of the Jiangning Weaving Bureau is a cultural heritage site protected at the municipal level in Nanjing.

The Site of the Western Garden of the Jiangning Weaving Bureau is located at No. 19 Taiping North Road, Xuanwu District, dating back to the Qing Dynasty.

The Jiangning Weaving Bureau was the official residence for three generations of the Cao family who held hereditary positions—Cao Xi (great-grandfather of Cao Xueqin, author of Dream of the Red Chamber), Cao Yin (grandfather), and Cao Fu and Cao Yong (fathers). Cao Xueqin (approximately 1715 – around 1763?) was born here.

The Weaving Bureau was originally built in the early Qing Dynasty within the jurisdiction of Shangyuan County, Jiangning Prefecture (now roughly the area around Dahonggong). During Emperor Kangxi’s southern tours, the Weaving Bureau was used as his temporary imperial palace. It was later renovated again during Emperor Qianlong’s southern inspections and officially served as an imperial palace. By the Tongzhi era, it was named Dahonggong. The western garden originally featured a “Linden Pavilion,” which served as an important gathering place for the Cao family and literati.

In August 1984, dozens of rockery stones, dyestuffs, porcelain shards from the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, dragon-patterned roof tiles, and brick carving fragments were excavated at the western garden site, confirming it as the Site of the Western Garden of the Jiangning Weaving Bureau.

In 1992, the Site of the Western Garden of the Jiangning Weaving Bureau was designated as a municipal-level cultural heritage site in Nanjing.