Nanjing Saoye Lou

Nanjing Saoye Lou

Nanjing Saoye Lou is a cultural relic protection unit of Nanjing.

Nanjing Saoye Lou

Nanjing Saoye Lou was first built in 1664. It features a Ming and Qing architectural style, with a brick-and-wood structure covered by small tiles. The two-story building covers an area of about 400 square meters and sits on approximately 270 square meters of land. In front of the building, swaying green bamboos and shaded trees create a tranquil setting. The courtyard of the building 0 is adorned with layered rockeries, which integrate seamlessly with the stone steps in front of Shànqìng Temple. Saoye Lou is the former residence of Gong Xian, a renowned painter and poet from the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. It is a cultural relic protection unit of Jiangsu Province, located on the southern peak of Qiánliáng Mountain in Nanjing, Jiangsu.

Shànqìng Temple also follows a Ming and Qing architectural style, with a construction area of 929.7 square meters and covering about 1,430 square meters of land. When Saoye Lou was restored in 1979, its courtyard 0 was connected to Shànqìng Temple, forming a complete set of elegantly designed ancient buildings.

Saoye Lou was the residence of Gong Xian, the foremost among the “Eight Masters of Nanjing” during the late Ming and early Qing periods, in his later years. It is named after a self-portrait of Gong as a monk sweeping leaves. Gong Xian (1619–1689), also known by his courtesy name Bànqiān and pseudonyms such as Bànmǔ Jūrén (“Man of Half an Acre”) and Qiánliáng Shān Xià Rén (“Man from Below Qiánliáng Mountain”), was deeply affected by the Qing army’s capture of Nanjing. Filled with sorrow, he left and wandered for over a decade in places like Hǎi’ān and Yángzhōu. In his later years, he returned to Nanjing, purchased half an acre of barren land on Qiánliáng Mountain, built a modest house called “Half an Acre Garden,” and planted flowers and bamboos. He lived a reclusive life, avoiding the powerful, and earned a living by selling calligraphy and paintings as well as teaching. He lived leisurely and authored poetry collections such as Cǎoxiāng Táng Jí (Herb-Scented Hall Collection) and Kètú Huà Gǎo (Painting Drafts for Students). During the Xianfeng period of the Qing dynasty, the building was destroyed in war. It was rebuilt in the 15th year of the Guangxu reign (1889) by imperial order, and underwent two more renovations in 1901 and 1914.

Saoye Lou was damaged during the “0” period and was restored in October 1979. The Shànqìng Temple behind the building and the teahouse beside it were enclosed with a flower wall, forming a unified group of ancient buildings. In early 2000, a memorial hall dedicated to Gong Xian was established on the site of the “Former Residence of Gong Xian.” The lintel of the memorial hall's entrance was inscribed with the name written by Xu Bangda, a renowned contemporary art appraiser. The first floor serves as an exhibition hall, showcasing poems related to Qiánliáng Mountain written by famous contemporary calligraphers and painters such as Lín Sǎnzhī, Xiāo Xián, Chén Dàyǔ, and Fèi Xīnwǒ, as well as verses by Gong Xian. The upper floor is a display room where showcases exhibit Gong Xian’s fine paintings and calligraphy works, along with research achievements on his poetry. Two exhibition rooms at the back of the building host irregular exhibitions of artworks by contemporary masters.

Saoye Lou was designated as a cultural relic protection unit of Jiangsu Province in 1957.