Shen Shiyu’s Former Residence

Shen Shiyu’s Former Residence

Shen Shiyu’s Former Residence is a cultural heritage site protected by Suzhou Municipality.

Shen Shiyu’s Former Residence

Located at No. 38 Wengfuqian in the urban area, it was originally the residence of Weng Shuyuan, Minister of Justice during the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty, and later came into the possession of the Shen family. It is a Qing Dynasty–era building, originally consisting of four courtyards arranged along a north-south axis. The first courtyard features a three-bay entrance hall with five rafters and a flush gable roof. The second courtyard was demolished and rebuilt during the Cultural Revolution. The third courtyard includes a three-bay hall with seven roof beams and a human-figure beam structure, featuring a flush gable roof. The fourth courtyard consists of side rooms. To the left of the fourth courtyard is the “Dizi Zai Yueming Lou” (Flute in the Moonlight Tower), a three-bay structure with a hip-and-gable roof. Currently, only one axial alignment remains, comprising two courtyards. Shen Shiyu (1858–1918), courtesy name Gongzhou, given name Rujin, was a native of Changshu and a renowned inkstone collector. He authored the influential work Heritage of the Shen Family Inkstones. It was designated as a cultural heritage site of Changshu City in November 1982.

Shen Shiyu (1858–1917), originally named Rujin and courtesy name Gongzhou, adopted the alias “Shiyou” (Stone Friend) due to his passion for inkstones. A native of Changshu, Jiangsu, he was born on August 12, 1858, and passed away in 1917 at the age of 60. He is best known for his poetry, though he also wrote classical prose. His published works include Collected Poems from the Resounding Stone Studio.

Shen Shiyu was a universally recognized master inkstone collector in modern times. In his collection, regardless of material or form, taste and elegance were always paramount, with no trace of vulgarity. His motivation for collecting inkstones was clear: to refine his character through the appreciation of objects. Thus, every inkstone he acquired was carefully examined and contemplated time and again... More detailed information about Shen Shiyu ++