Gu’s “Huanxiu Residence”

Gu’s “Huanxiu Residence”

Gu’s “Huanxiu Residence” is a cultural heritage site protected at the municipal level in Suzhou.

The rear building of Gu’s “Huanxiu Residence” is located on Huanxiu Street, in front of Weng Mansion in the western part of the city. According to *Yuyang Shuo Yuan · Bi Meng*, this site was originally a small garden within the former residence of Qian Dai, an imperial censor during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty. It was later purchased and renovated by Gu Xiang, the owner of the Xiaoshi Mountain House and a book collector from the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty. The garden now only retains the rear building, which is an architectural structure from the early-to-mid Qing Dynasty, consisting of two stories, three bays plus east and west wing rooms. The upper floor features flat-style beams, with simply carved yet elegant components such as mountain mist clouds and oar-shaped beams. The central bay has large-section five-span and three-span beams with unusually long spans. The overall craftsmanship is exquisite, making it a truly rare find.