Nanjing Shen Wansan’s Former Residence

Nanjing Shen Wansan’s Former Residence

Nanjing Shen Wansan’s Former Residence is a cultural tourism attraction.

Nanjing Shen Wansan’s Former Residence

Nanjing Shen Wansan’s Former Residence served as the residence of Prince Zan during the Taiping Rebellion. In Courtyard No. 7, there still remains a giant stone drum from Prince Zan’s residence, a nanmu (phoebe nanmu) hall, and a two-courtyard small building. The hall features a post-and-lintel structure with four bays in width and exquisitely carved brick door ornaments. The two-story buildings behind the hall have their original roofs intact. Located in the old southern part of Chengnan, Qinhuai District, Nanjing, it can be accessed via Bus 43 to Madao Street, offering relatively convenient transportation. Currently, it has limited connections with other tourist attractions in the area.

Shen Wansan’s Former Residence is located at Nos. 5, 7, and 9 Madao Street. Shen Wansan, also known as Shen Xiu, was the wealthiest man in the Jiangnan region in the early Ming Dynasty, originally from Nanxun, Huzhou, Zhejiang. In the third year of the Hongwu era (1370), he transported grain to the capital and was personally summoned by Emperor Taizu of Ming, which brought him great renown at the time. He contributed substantial funds toward the construction of Nanjing City for Emperor Taizu. The “Biography of Empress Ma” in the Ming History records: “Shen Xiu, a wealthy man from Wuxing, helped build one-third of the capital city and also requested to reward the army. The Emperor was furious and said: ‘A commoner rewarding the Emperor’s army is a rebel and should be executed.’ The Empress said: ‘His wealth rivals that of the nation; such fortune is inauspicious for the people. The heavens will bring disaster upon the inauspicious, so why should Your Majesty execute him?’ The Emperor then pardoned Shen Xiu and exiled him to Yunnan.”

Shen Wansan was exiled to the frontier for offending Zhu Yuanzhang, but the story of his funding the construction of Nanjing’s city walls remains widely circulated among the people, making him a legendary historical figure.

Nanjing was the main place where Shen Wansan conducted his business activities. He built numerous grand residences and gardens both inside and outside the city. It is said that areas such as Baijiufang, Duicaoxiang, and Youfangxiang were all backyards of the Shen family properties. After Shen Wansan moved to the capital Yingtian, he lived in the area around Madao Street. The “Dongcheng Zhi Lüe” records: “Madao Street is said to be where the wealthy Shen Wansan once lived.” After Shen Wansan’s property was confiscated, it was repurposed as government offices. The “Xin Zeng Ge Gu Yao Lun” records: “In the early Hongwu era, the property of Shen Wansan from Suzhou was confiscated. The stools, chairs, and tables, especially those with mother-of-pearl inlay and carved red lacquer, were of the finest quality, and some could still be found in the six ministries and various government offices.”

Shen Wansan, whose given name was Fu and courtesy name Zhongrong, was commonly known as Wansan. He was a native of Nanxun Town, Wucheng County, Huzhou Prefecture (now Nanxun, Huzhou, Zhejiang), and his ancestors had moved to Dongcai Village, Changzhou County (now Suzhou, Jiangsu) under Pingjiang Prefecture (later renamed Suzhou Prefecture in the Ming Dynasty). Folklore says Shen Wansan became wealthy because of a “treasure basin,” claiming that he obtained a magical basin in which anything placed would turn into treasure.

Shen Wansan (1330–1379), named Fu and courtesy name Zhongrong, was commonly called Wansan. The name “Wansan” means “the third outstanding one among ten thousand households,” hence he was also referred to as “Sanshu,” a nickname for the extremely wealthy. A prominent figure from the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties... More details about Shen Wansan ++