Wangxie Ancient Residence

Wangxie Ancient Residence

　The Wangxie Ancient Residence Exhibition Hall is situated on the south bank of the famous Qinhuai River in Nanmiao. By crossing the Wende Bridge and entering Wuyi Lane, you’ll see the hall’s classic residential-style building. In the Three Kingdoms era, this place was home to military barracks for the Wu Kingdom’s guards defending the capital Jianye. Soldiers at the time wore black uniforms, which is why the lane was named “Wuyi” (Black Clothes), and to this day, an ancient “Wuyi Well” remains in the lane.

During the Eastern Jin Dynasty, the area along both sides of the Qinhuai River was densely populated, and the region around the Confucius Temple (known as Xuan Ni Temple during the Eastern Jin) and Wuyi Lane became a residential area for high-ranking nobility. Grand mansions stood in close succession, such as those built by descendants of the great Eastern Wu literary figure Lu Ji, who constructed residences described as “lofty and magnificent, with gardens, ponds, bamboo, and trees all delightful to admire.” Notably, members of the powerful Wang and Xie clans, including Prime Minister Wang Dao and Xie An, resided here, further enhancing Wuyi Lane’s fame throughout the capital. From the emperor down to his ministers, all came here to discuss state affairs and compose poetry, leaving behind many legendary tales. The Wang and Xie clans produced cultural giants such as Wang Xizhi, Wang Xianzhi, Wang Xun, Xie Tiao, Xie Huilian, and Xie Lingyun, who had a profound impact on Chinese culture and art. As a result, the former residences of the Wang and Xie families within Wuyi Lane have long been revered by later generations. The Tang Dynasty poet Liu Yuxi, moved by the vicissitudes of history and the fading glory of the Six Dynasties, penned the timeless masterpiece “Wuyi Lane”: “Beside the Zhuque Bridge wild flowers grow; / At sunset over them the crows do caw. / The swallows that once nested under the eaves / Of the mansions of Wang and Xie now fly / Into the homes of common folk.” Since then, this place has become a destination of admiration and exploration for literati throughout the ages, with countless poems and writings dedicated to it.

In recent years, the Qinhuai District People’s Government of Nanjing has reconstructed the ethnically styled “Wangxie Ancient Residence” Exhibition Hall on the original site of Wuyi Lane. Its main structures include the “Laiyan Hall,” the Wuyi Lane “Tingzheng Hall,” and the “Jianjin Tower.” The outer walls of these buildings feature imitations of Six Dynasties brick-relief murals such as “The Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove and Rong Qiqi,” “Facing Lions,” and “Revelry,” all of which hold significant historical and aesthetic value. In the courtyard, there is also a miniature version of the “Curved Stream and Floating Wine Cups” inspired by the Orchid Pavilion. The exhibition hall places great emphasis on collecting and displaying cultural relics from the Six Dynasties period. It showcases a wide array of precious artifacts in themed exhibits, including the Eastern Jin Daily Life Room, the History of the Wang and Xie Clans, and specialized sections on Six Dynasties history, calligraphy, painting, sculpture, ceramics, daily life, and warfare. These displays offer valuable insights into Six Dynasties culture and highlight the contributions of the Wang and Xie families to the politics, economy, military, and culture of the Eastern Jin Dynasty.

The hall also features exhibitions of the beautiful scenic spots along the Qinhuai River, showcasing the profound heritage and unique charm of Nanjing, a national historical and cultural city. The precious relics preserved within the Wangxie Ancient Residence Exhibition Hall, its elegant architecture, refined displays, and numerous poetic couplets by master artists all contribute to making it another outstanding cultural and tourism attraction in Nanjing, the ancient capital of the Six Dynasties.

Related Attraction – Jianjin Tower: “Jianjin” clearly conveys the meaning of “using history as a mirror to understand the rise and fall of dynasties.” The large characters on the plaque are written in clerical script, reflecting the style of the Wei and Jin periods. Inside the building, there is an exhibition of Eastern Jin carvings, a replica of an Eastern Jin living room, murals depicting the Battle of Fei River, illustrations of the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove, reproductions of Gu Kaizhi’s painting “Ode to the Goddess of Luo,” and a miniature version of the Orchid Pavilion’s “Curved Stream and Floating Wine Cups.” All of these offer a vivid glimpse into the elegance of the people from the Wei and Jin eras.

Laiyan Hall: The name “Laiyan” (Arriving Swallows) originates from the story of Xie An using swallows to send messages. The plaque of Laiyan Hall in the east courtyard was inscribed by the contemporary renowned calligrapher Sha Manweng, blending clerical script with Han dynasty bamboo slip style, its strokes bold and powerful—symbolizing the grandeur of the “Wang and Xie Mansions” during the Six Dynasties. Among the “Forty-Eight Scenic Spots of Jinling,” the 28th spot is named “Famed Laiyan Hall,” which is this very Laiyan Hall. In the center of the grand hall stands a bronze statue of Wang Xizhi. The hall displays a wealth of historical and literary materials related to the Wangxie Ancient Residence.

Statue of Wang Xizhi: Wang Xizhi was famously fond of geese. He once traded a copy of the “Dao De Jing” for a flock of white geese from a mountain hermit. Later, the great Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai even wrote a poem about this amusing story: “If the mountain hermit could be seen, / He’d write ‘Yellow Court’ to trade for white geese.” (“Yellow Court” refers to the “Dao De Jing.”) Legend says Wang Xizhi’s love for white geese was tied to his calligraphy studies. He believed that holding the brush required the index finger to be raised and slightly curved like a goose’s head, and that brush strokes should mimic the way a goose’s feet paddle through water—this focus could channel one’s spirit into the brush. Wang Xizhi’s fondness for geese was actually to improve his calligraphy. The single-character “goose” he wrote in one stroke was the result of who knows how much observation of real geese.

Curved Stream and Floating Wine Cups: In ancient times, literati would gather by the Curved Stream and Floating Wine Cups, placing a cup filled with wine in the stream. When the cup floated to someone, they had to compose a poem and drink a cup of wine. The Wangxie Ancient Residence courtyard features such a Curved Stream and Floating Wine Cups setup, which visitors greatly enjoy.