Memorial Hall of the Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou

Memorial Hall of the Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou

• Located within the Western Temple, you can learn about the lives of the Eight Eccentrics and admire the painted beams in the Mahavira Hall.

Attraction Introduction

The Memorial Hall of the Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou is located southeast of Slender West Lake, just a street away from Siwang Pavilion. It was converted from the Western Temple, where Jin Nong, one of the Eight Eccentrics, spent his later years. Here you can learn about the lives and works of the Eight Eccentrics, making it a great spot for those who enjoy calligraphy and painting or are interested in cultural heritage sites.

The term "Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou" generally refers to a group of innovative painters from Yangzhou during the Qing Dynasty. Notable figures include Zheng Xie (also known as Zheng Banqiao), famous for his bamboo paintings; Jin Nong, who had a difficult life; and Luo Pin, known for his ghost paintings. There is no definitive consensus on exactly which eight painters are included, as various records list at least fifteen individuals in total. Thus, the number "eight" can be seen as both literal and approximate.

The main structure of the Memorial Hall of the Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou runs from north to south, with the entrance gate at the southern end. Upon entering, the first thing you see is a large iron cauldron in the center of the lawn, which has a history of over 1,500 years. Behind it stands the Mahavira Hall of the Ming Dynasty Western Temple, built from precious nanmu wood. The Mahavira Hall now serves as the main exhibition hall of the memorial. Be sure to look up — the beautifully painted beams are mostly remnants from the Ming Dynasty. At the center of the hall stands a statue of the Eight Eccentrics, surrounded by exhibits featuring images and texts that introduce their lives, as well as displays of their calligraphy and paintings, though most of the artworks are reproductions.

Passing through the Mahavira Hall, you’ll find a nearly 800-year-old towering ginkgo tree in the courtyard behind. Going straight ahead leads to the Li Yaru Calligraphy and Painting Exhibition Hall, which usually displays works by Li Yaru, a descendant of the Eight Eccentrics, and occasionally hosts temporary exhibitions. Turning left takes you to Jin Nong’s Living Quarters, reconstructed based on the abbot’s room where he stayed. The middle section is the living room, with a studio and bedroom on either side. At the time, the Western Temple was in decline, and it’s evident that Jin Nong’s residence was very simple.

Then head east to the East Garden area, decorated with rockeries to resemble a classic Jiangnan-style garden. You can visit the “Crane Pond Peeking at Ice” pond, named after a line from Jin Nong’s poem expressing noble aspirations: “A crane by the pond peeks at the ice.” Walk south to see the Bamboo Spring Pavilion and the well inside it that Jin Nong used to draw water, along with a Five Dynasties-era pagoda, and finally return to the “Stele Corridor Collection” on the east side of the Mahavira Hall. Take a close look in the stele corridor—you might spot the famous calligraphy work “It’s Hard to Be Oblivious” by Zheng Banqiao.

Walk 50 meters east along the alley outside the Memorial Hall of the Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou, and you’ll find a thousand-year-old Tang Dynasty scholar tree enclosed by a fence. This is the site where the story “A Dream of Nanke” from the Tang Dynasty tale “The Tale of the Prefect of Nanke” took place.

Special Tips

If you wish to see authentic paintings and calligraphy by the Eight Eccentrics, you can visit the Yangzhou Museum and Yangzhou China Block Printing Museum (Yangzhou Double Museums).

Address: No. 18, Tuoling Lane, Huaihai Road, Guangling District, Yangzhou City

Type: Historical Architecture Memorial Hall

Recommended Visit Duration: 1–2 hours

Phone: 0514-87340275; 0514-87337408

Opening Hours:

8:00-17:00