Former Residence of Li Xiangjun

Former Residence of Li Xiangjun

The Former Residence of Li Xiangjun is a cultural tourism attraction.

Li Xiangjun was a brilliant pearl on the Qinhuai River, and generations of visitors have flocked to the site of the former Meixiang Tower without end. What made this lower-class woman from the famed Qinhuai district so admired was not her beauty, but her strong sense of justice, patriotism, and noble character. She was indignant at the corruption of society and showed a rare spirit. Like a lotus blooming unstained out of the mud and untouched by the clear ripples, she remained loyal to her homeland. In recognition, the People’s Government of Qinhuai District restored the Former Residence of Li Xiangjun—Meixiang Tower—based on the content of the literary masterpiece *The Peach Blossom Fan*.

The Former Residence of Li Xiangjun is located at the southern end of Laiyan Bridge by the Qinhuai River. It is a three-courtyard, two-courtyard-style residence. The entire compound showcases artistic masterpieces such as calligraphy, paintings, couplets, seal engravings, rockeries, statues, garden vignettes, stone carvings, brick carvings, murals, and hanging lanterns, all available for visitors to admire.

The Former Residence of Li Xiangjun is situated at No. 38 Chao Ku Street, Confucius Temple, in Qinhuai District. It has been designated as a municipal-level cultural relic protection unit. Since its opening, it has attracted a continuous stream of visitors. The site has welcomed many cultural celebrities and preserved numerous works of calligraphy. A Taiwanese visitor who returned to Nanjing to visit family said after seeing Meixiang Tower, “I never expected there to be such a unique and wonderful place on the mainland.” A former U.S. naval attaché at the Chinese Embassy remarked after his visit, “A timeless legend, a Jiangnan scenic marvel.” An elderly man from Nanjing Forestry University made a special trip here and spontaneously composed a lyric: “Willow Tips Green, Meixiang Tower, romance on the Qinhuai, lanterns on boats reflected on dressing tables, where is the silk fan... Affection buried beyond words in history...” If Li Xiangjun were to know of this in the netherworld, it would bring solace to her deeply sorrowful patriotic spirit.

Address: No. 38 Chao Ku Street, Confucius Temple, Qinhuai District, Nanjing

Type: Celebrity Residence

Recommended Visit Duration: About 1 hour

Phone: 025-52248894

Opening Hours:

9:00-21:00

Also known as Li Xiang, she was a renowned courtesan from the Moling entertainment quarter. Ever since Kong Shangren’s *The Peach Blossom Fan* was published in 1699, Li Xiangjun became widely known. She had a relationship with Hou Fangyu, leader of the Fu She literary society, and later became his concubine. Hou had once agreed to help the powerful eunuch party member Ruan Dacheng, who was in trouble due to exposure and attacks by Fu She scholars—but Li firmly persuaded him to refuse. Ruan then tried to force Li to marry Tian Yang, the grain transport official, as a concubine. She resisted by attempting suicide. This was during the time when the Ma and Ruan factions were aggressively arresting members of the Donglin Party, and Hou and others were thrown into prison, while Li was sent to the palace by Ruan. After the Qing army marched south, Hou Fangyu surrendered to the Qing Dynasty, and Li Xiangjun’s fate remains uncertain. ... More details about Li Xiangjun ++