Suzhou Wensheng Pavilion

Suzhou Wensheng Pavilion

Suzhou Wensheng Pavilion is a Suzhou Municipal Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Commonly known as the Bell Tower or Square Pagoda, Wensheng Pavilion is located between Fengmen and Xiangmen to the east within the ancient city of Suzhou, Jiangsu Province. Originally built in the 20th year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty (1541), the current structure was reconstructed in the 17th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1752) and renovated during the Tongzhi era. The pavilion has four floors. It sits atop a three-tiered bluestone square base, which is 6.5 meters high and has a bottom side width of 14.4 meters, decreasing gradually with each tier. On the southern side, there is a stone staircase in a V-shape, allowing access from both sides. The top is crowned with a four-cornered spire roof, with upturned eaves and a gourd-shaped finial, reaching an overall height of about 28 meters. The main body of the pavilion is square-shaped, with arched gateways on all four sides of each level, and no waist eaves or balconies between the floors. The base floor is 8.6 meters wide, with only subtle tapering from the bottom up, creating a layered yet upright silhouette. To the south of the pavilion, the Guixiang Hall from the Tongzhi era of the Qing Dynasty still stands. In 1982, it was listed as a Suzhou Municipal Cultural Relics Protection Unit. In 2002, Wensheng Pavilion, along with the former site of Soochow University, was jointly included in the Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units.

In the 20th year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty (1541), the Changzhou County School of Suzhou Prefecture was relocated to the former site of Funing Temple in the eastern part of the city. From the 17th to the 25th year of the Wanli reign (1589–1597), Wensheng Pavilion was built on the former site of the Dongchan Temple’s central hall, southeast of the county school. It was affiliated with the county school and stood opposite the Twin Pagodas to the southwest, “to compensate for the lack of landscape features and to enhance the grandeur of the school.” It was rebuilt in the 40th year (1612), slightly further south to its current location. Renovations were carried out in the 6th year of the Chongzhen reign (1633). The current stone base and the brick structure of the ground floor are remnants from the Ming Dynasty. “At the center of the pavilion hangs a great bell, whose sound can be heard by thousands of households. To the south is an image of the God of Literature, enshrined for worship.” During the Qing Dynasty, the Peng family of Fengmen achieved the distinction of having both a grandfather and grandson who became top imperial examination graduates, which they attributed to the “auspicious influence of the God of Literature.” They funded renovations in the 2nd year of the Kangxi reign (1663) and the 17th year of the Qianlong reign (1752), and built the Guixiang Hall, Chaoyuan Pavilion, Shixi Hall, and Sanxian Hall next to the pavilion, making it a renowned gathering place for local scholars and literati to give lectures and engage in literary discussions. From the 10th year of the Xianfeng reign (1860) to the 2nd year of the Tongzhi reign (1863), Wensheng Pavilion was used by the Taiping Army as a watchtower to observe military movements, and the attached halls and study rooms were destroyed in the war. The pavilion was renovated in the 9th year of the Tongzhi reign, and the currently surviving Guixiang Hall to the south was rebuilt in the 11th year. Repairs were also carried out in 1954.

During the Qing Dynasty, renovations were funded in the 2nd year of the Kangxi reign (1663) and the 17th year of the Qianlong reign (1752), and structures such as the Guixiang Hall, Chaoyuan Pavilion, Shixi Hall, and Sanxian Hall were built nearby, making it a popular spot for local scholars and literati to gather and discuss literature. From the 10th year of the Xianfeng reign (1860) to the 2nd year of the Tongzhi reign (1863), the auxiliary halls and study rooms of Wensheng Pavilion were destroyed in the war. The pavilion was renovated in the 9th year of the Tongzhi reign, and the currently surviving Guixiang Hall to the south was rebuilt in the 11th year. Renovations were also conducted in 1954.

Structure

The pavilion has four floors. It sits atop a three-tiered bluestone square base, which is 6.5 meters high and has a bottom side width of 14.4 meters, decreasing gradually with each tier. On the southern side, there is a stone staircase in a V-shape, allowing access from both sides. The top is crowned with a four-cornered spire roof, with upturned eaves and a gourd-shaped finial, reaching an overall height of about 28 meters. The main body of the pavilion is square-shaped, with arched gateways on all four sides of each level, and no waist eaves or balconies between the floors. The base floor is 8.6 meters wide, with only subtle tapering from the bottom up, creating a layered yet upright silhouette. The structure below the third floor is primarily made of brick, with only the second and third floor floors and staircases constructed from wood. The base floor has brick steps hidden within the walls, and the four corners of the square room feature brick-built octagonal columns with carved bracket sets at their tops. The top floor is supported by a wooden beam structure, with no floor between the third and top floors—only corridors along the walls, leaving a hollow square space in the center where a beam holds the suspended bell. An iron bell from the Qing Dynasty, inscribed with the words “Wensheng Bao Ge” (Treasure Bell of the Literary Star), is still preserved. Existing stone inscriptions include the “Record of the Reconstruction of Wensheng Pavilion at the Confucian School of Changzhou County” from the 40th year of the Wanli reign (1612) and the “Record of the Renovation of Wensheng Pavilion at the Changzhou County School” from the 6th year of the Chongzhen reign (1633).