The Second-Class Scholar’s Mansion in Mudu (Former Residence of Feng Guifen)

The Second-Class Scholar’s Mansion in Mudu (Former Residence of Feng Guifen)

The Second-Class Scholar’s Mansion in Mudu (Former Residence of Feng Guifen) is a protected cultural heritage site of Jiangsu Province.

Situated on Xiatang Street in Mudu Town, the Second-Class Scholar’s Mansion was the former residence of Feng Guifen, a disciple of Lin Zexu and an Enlightenment thinker and political commentator of the late Qing Dynasty. The house faces south and fronts the Xu River, with a front-house-and-back-garden layout that showcases the classic early Qing-era Jiangnan residential garden architectural style. The front section includes a porch, a main hall, and a multi-story hall. From the main hall, a westward turn leads to a flower-basket-style hall and a study. The garden centers around a pond, scattered with pavilions, verandas, corridors, terraces, bridges, and yellow-stone rockeries, all set at varying heights amid lush greenery, creating a poetic and picturesque atmosphere. The entire estate covers nearly ten acres and is a protected cultural heritage site of Suzhou City.

Feng Guifen (1809–1874), courtesy names Lin Yi and Jing Ting, was from Wu County, Suzhou Prefecture (now Suzhou), and in his later years retired to Mudu. A child prodigy, Feng passed the county-level imperial examination at the age of 20. Recognized by Lin Zexu, then Governor-General of Liangjiang, he was invited to study at the governor's office and highly praised as a “national talent” and “peerless in his time.” In 1840, he ranked second in the highest tier (Jinshi) of the imperial examinations, beginning his official career. In 1856, he served as a Middle Attendant in the Imperial Study Office. He resigned and returned home in 1859. By the end of the Xianfeng era (1861), Feng became an advisor to Li Hongzhang. During this period, he authored his representative political work, Forty Essays from the Correctional Studio, advocating for “adopting Western learning” and “manufacturing Western technology,” proposing the idea of “founding reforms on China’s moral traditions supplemented by the prosperity strategies of other nations.” He sought solutions to save the nation and became a pioneer of the Westernization Movement.

The Second-Class Scholar’s Mansion houses three treasures known as the “Three Carvings of Jiangnan”: brick carving, stone carving, and wood carving. In addition to the aforementioned wood-carved flower-basket hall and the brick-carved gate tower, the third treasure is the stone engraving of the Prosperous Age Painting located in the eastern corridor of the courtyard. Originally painted by Xu Yang of the Qing Dynasty, it realistically depicts the bustling prosperity of Gusu during the Kangxi and Qianlong eras. Half of the depicted villages, towns, cities, and streets are located in Mudu. The current version was carved by local artisans in Mudu, composed of eight slabs of Lingyan Mountain inkstone, each 1.2 meters long, using the intaglio technique. The lines are smooth, the composition vibrant, and the original painting’s artistic conception is successfully conveyed. These three treasures encapsulate the essence of folk art from the Wu region, blending poetry, calligraphy, painting, and carving. Strolling through them is like immersing oneself in a river of art and culture.

Address: Xiatang Street, Mudu Ancient Town, Wuzhong District, Suzhou City

Type: Garden/Historic Residence of a Celebrity

Recommended Visit Duration: 1–2 hours

Opening Hours:

8:30–16:30

Ticket Information:

The Second-Class Scholar’s Mansion: 10 RMB. If you purchase the combined ticket for Mudu Ancient Town (78 RMB), entry to this attraction is included.

Feng Guifen (1809–1874), courtesy names Lin Yi and Jing Ting (also recorded as Jing Ting), self-styled as the "Retired Scholar of Dengwei Mountain." A native of Wu County, Suzhou Prefecture (now Suzhou), Jiangsu Province. In 1840, during the 20th year of the Daoguang reign, he ranked second in the imperial examination under the list of Li Chenglin, becoming the second-place Jinshi scholar.

Feng Guifen came from a long line of prestigious and noble families. By his father’s generation, the family had suffered a devastating fire and never recovered. Exceptionally intelligent from childhood, Feng could read several lines at a glance. At the age of 20, he passed the county-level examination to become a student. Despite enduring poverty, he strove diligently. In his youth, he worked as a clerk for the county magistrate, also managing financial affairs. Due to... [More detailed information about Feng Guifen]

Mudu Town: Nestled by Taihu Lake and at the foot of Lingyan and Tianping Mountains, Mudu Town is a garden town with over 2,500 years of history, rich in Wu culture and scenic mountain landscapes. Covering an area of 62.28 square kilometers, it has a local population of 86,000 and over 200,000 migrants. Historically a key town in Wuzhong, it is known as the “Home of Stone Carving,” “Home of Calligraphy,” and “Home of Gardens,” earning the title “The Premier Town of Wuzhong.” It has been recognized as a “National Model for Creating Civilized Small Towns,” “National Advanced Town in Creating Civilized Towns,” “Famous Historical and Cultural Town of China,” and a “National Sanitary Town.”... [More detailed information about Mudu Town]

Further Reading:

· Eighth Batch of Protected Cultural Heritage Sites of Jiangsu Province

Mudu Ancient Town

Lingyan Mountain Temple

Yan Family Garden in Mudu

Mingyue Temple in Mudu

Ancient Pine Garden in Mudu (Former Residence of Cai Shaoyu)

Wu Xiang Shrine

Shantang Ancient Street in Mudu

Mudu Lingyan Peony Garden