Tianxiang Xiaozhu

Tianxiang Xiaozhu

Tianxiang Xiaozhu is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Tianxiang Xiaozhu is a garden villa that blends Chinese and Western architectural styles. It was built in 1935 by Xi Qisen, owner of the Xijia Garden on Dongshan Island in Taihu Lake, and was once occupied as a residence by Li Shiqun, the puppet provincial governor under the Wang Jingwei regime. After the liberation, it was used by party and government offices. In 2001, it was converted into the Rare Books Department of the Suzhou Library. It covers an area of 2,664 square meters with a construction area of 1,033 square meters, and is divided into residential and garden sections. The residential area is located in the west, where the existing buildings form a "回" (Chinese character for "return") shaped layout, including a main hall (the Mandarin Duck Hall), the main building, and east and west wing rooms. The three buildings are arranged in a "品" (Chinese character for "quality") shape. The garden lies to the east of the main building, in a long rectangular shape covering 1,000 square meters. The garden features artificial hills built with piled earth and stones, stone-paved pathways, and a hexagonal pavilion on the hill, all set within lush greenery. The residence and garden are based on the traditional layout and structure of Suzhou-style residential courtyards, while incorporating elements of northern Chinese architecture and some characteristics of Western architecture, resulting in an elegant and harmonious appearance and decoration.

In May 2013, the State Council (State Council Document [2013] No. 13) designated Tianxiang Xiaozhu as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units