Zhang’s Residence on Dongjie, Meili

Zhang’s Residence on Dongjie, Meili

Zhang’s Residence on Dongjie, Meili is a cultural heritage site protected by Suzhou Municipality.

Zhang’s Residence on Dongjie, Meili

Located at No. 11, Dongjie, Meili Town, it is a Ming Dynasty building. Originally the residence of Zhang Yinbin, a scholar-official serving as an education officer in Zhenjiang Prefecture, his daughter was granted the honorific title of “Ruren” (a respectable married woman). Known for her virtue, talent, and excellent household management, she raised Zhang Xintun and Zhang Tonghe, who later became imperial tutors—their mother is referred to as Madame Zhang. The structure currently retains one axis with three courtyards and two successive halls. The first section served as the gatehouse, with most of it converted into a barbershop, leaving only one third as a passageway. The second section has three bays, spanning 8.9 meters in width and 5 meters in depth, featuring a post-and-lintel construction. On the west side of the courtyard between the second and third sections, there are wing rooms. The third section uses a through-tenon beam frame, with four bays spanning 14.9 meters in width and 7.6 meters in depth. It was designated as a cultural heritage site protected by Changshu City in June 2013.

Meili Town: Meili Town is located in the northeastern part of Changshu City, bordering Shanghai to the east, Suzhou to the south, Wuxi to the west, and the Yangtze River, a golden waterway, to the north, and is 10 kilometers from Changshu Port. The town covers an area of 78.6 square kilometers, with the central urban area spanning 5.27 square kilometers and arable land of 57,900 mu. It governs 2 subdistrict offices, 18 administrative villages, and 3 community committees, with a total population of 78,500. Meili Town is recognized as a National Health Town, a Nationally Recognized Beautiful Environment Town, a Civilized Town of Jiangsu Province, a Top 100 Town of Jiangsu Province, a Modern New-Type Small Town of Jiangsu Province, a Key Central Town of Jiangsu Province, and an Environmental and... More details about Meili Town++