Former Residence of Wei Yuan

Former Residence of Wei Yuan

The former residence of Wei Yuan is a cultural heritage site protected by the Yangzhou Municipal Government.

Former Residence of Wei Yuan

Located at No. 37 Xincang Lane and built in the 15th year of the Daoguang reign of the Qing Dynasty (1835), this was the home of Wei Yuan (1794–1857). Originally named Yuanda, he went by the courtesy names Moshen, Mosheng, and Liangtu, and adopted the dharma name Chengguan in his later years. A native of Shaoyang, Hunan (now part of Longhui County), he lived in Yangzhou for many years and became a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations in 1845. He served as magistrate of Xinghua County and prefect of Gaoyou. In 1835, he purchased a property and renovated it, naming it “? Garden.” The site covers an area of 2,617 square meters, with a garden to the south and residential buildings to the north. The garden originally featured a lotus pond, a fishpond, a white stone bridge, as well as rockeries made of lake stones and yellow stones, stone tables, stone benches, an ancient well, and various plants. There was a winding corridor along the eastern wall, a small study room to the south, a boat-style hall to the west, and a flower hall to the north. The residence faces south and is divided into three sections: east, middle, and west. The main gate faces east, and the screen wall opposite the gate can still be faintly seen. It has an imposing, eight-panel, mortise-and-tenon style gate tower built with finely processed bricks. On the north side of the eastern section, there used to be a small three-bay residential building with side wings, followed by a small courtyard, and in front, a front yard planted with wintersweet, loquat, and persimmon trees. To the south of the yard were the kitchen, woodshed, and another courtyard, further south connected to the gatehouse, with a fire lane to the west. The central section features orderly layout, with a two-panel, finely finished brick gate facing east, a courtyard paved with bluestone slabs, and a three-bay main hall facing south, flanked by suites on both sides, separated by a small courtyard. The hall is surrounded by corridors, with decorative carved wooden doors and square brick flooring. Behind the main hall, through a long and narrow courtyard, are three bays of lean-to rooms, accessible via a side gate leading to the rear courtyard. The rear courtyard contains a five-bay residence with side wings, all facing south, a small backyard to the north, corridors on the east and west sides of the house leading to the east and west sections. Passing through the western corridor leads to the western courtyard. The courtyard has osmanthus trees, a flower stand facing east, a reception hall facing south in a wing-like projection style, behind which are three bays of residence, each with a small front courtyard, and one room to the north. The southern wing of the reception hall retains partial high-relief brick carvings on its gable that are still faintly visible. The southern side features glass-panelled doors, while remnants of decorative lantern-patterned windows on the east and west sides remain in good condition. The hall floor is paved with square bricks, and to the south, there used to be a three-bay boat-style hall connecting to the southern garden. Currently, only a set of rooms in the western wing’s reception hall remains, along with fragmented walls of the brick gate tower and a few scattered rocks—the rest has been destroyed.

Further Reading:

· List of the Fourth Batch of Cultural Heritage Protection Units in Yangzhou