Former Residence of Wu Mei

Former Residence of Wu Mei

The former residence of Wu Mei is a cultural relic protection unit of Suzhou.

The former residence of Wu Mei is the home of the eminent Chinese opera theorist, educator, poet, and ci and qu writer, Mr. Wu Mei (1884–1939). It is a typical Suzhou-style residential building. To the north of the entrance gatehouse is a small courtyard, and on the east side of the second-floor building north of the courtyard lies the famous Shemota Chamber — Wu Mei’s library. To the west of the entrance gatehouse is another courtyard, behind which is the main hall with floor-to-ceiling windows, and above the hall is a two-story structure divided into eastern and western wings. To the north of the main hall is the central inner gate, above which is a brick carving that reads “Le Ju An Tian” (“Joyful Dwelling Under Heaven”), handwritten by Wu Mei himself.

No. 35-1 Pulin Lane, a typical Suzhou-style residence. Beside the red-painted wooden door, faded over time, a sign clearly marks the location as the “Former Residence of Wu Mei.” The name Wu Mei (1884–1939) is closely associated with Kunqu Opera. In the early 20th century, Kunqu — known as the ancestor of all Chinese operas — was in a precarious state. Wu Mei, who began collecting opera scripts in his teens, made significant efforts to revive and promote Kunqu, which stand as one of his most important contributions to Chinese culture. Wu Mei’s original home was located in Gunxiufang but was destroyed during the Taiping Rebellion. As an adult, he used his earnings from teaching at Soochow University to purchase a dilapidated house once owned by the Li family on Pulin Lane and began rebuilding. In 1911, the new residence was completed. On a “Floor Plan of Mr. Wu Mei’s Former Residence” carefully drawn by Wu Jin, the original three-courtyard southern-facing residence covering 535 square meters can still be seen in its former glory.

Entering the old residence through the stone gate on Pulin Lane, you’ll find a small courtyard to the north of the entrance gatehouse. On the east side of the second-floor building north of the courtyard lies the famous Shemota Chamber — Wu Mei’s library. To the west of the entrance gatehouse is another small courtyard, and the east and west sides of the central courtyard once featured corridors — a favorite spot for young Wu Jin and his siblings to enjoy the cool air, count stars, and listen to stories. Passing through the central courtyard, you’ll see another row of hall rooms. On the first floor, the east room was the bedroom of Wu Mei and his wife, and just west of the bedroom was Wu Mei’s writing room. The other half of the library, known as Baijia Chamber, is located in the northeast corner of the second floor. Although the library is named after the Shemota Chamber and Baijia Chamber...

Wu Mei (1884–1939), styled Qu’an, also known as Ling, and in his later years using the sobriquet Shuang... . A native of Changzhou County (now downtown Suzhou), he was born on July 22, 1884 (September 11, 1884 in the Gregorian calendar), during the Qing Dynasty’s Guangxu reign. He was a master of traditional Chinese opera studies.

Orphaned at a young age, he was raised by his adoptive great-uncle. He received a traditional family education, studied under Pan Shaoxia at the age of 12, and placed first in the county examination during the 27th year of the Guangxu reign, becoming a student of Changzhou County. For the following two consecutive years, he attempted the Jiangnan regional imperial examination but failed both times, after which he went to Shanghai to study Japanese at the Dongwen Learning Society. In the 31st year of the Guangxu reign, he was introduced by Huang Mohan to teach at Soochow University. In the first year of the Xuantong reign (1909)... Detailed information about Wu Mei ++