Former Residence of Xu Dayuan

Former Residence of Xu Dayuan

The former residence of Xu Dayuan is a cultural relic protection unit of Suzhou City.

Between Xixu Family Lane and Xicai Family Lane (Old Hospital Lane) to the west of Lili Town lies an eight-courtyard deep mansion, which is the former residence of Xu Dayuan.

The third courtyard of this residence is called Xieyun Tower, once the study of Wu Qiongxian, and now accessible from Xicai Family Lane (Old Hospital Lane). This tower is a single-story hall with an area of 108 square meters, bright and airy. In front of the hall is a courtyard that originally featured a brick-carved gate tower, flower stands, and more. Today, only one partially damaged latticed window remains, with its cloud patterns and four bats on the top and bottom still intact. Gazing at the dark brown long windows in front of the tower and the bluish-gray high walls on its side, along with the potted plants in the courtyard, one can almost picture the scene described in the line “Writing Rhymes behind the Curtain in the Shade of Green Willows.” It was in this Xieyun Tower that Wu Qiongxian composed many poems. Verses such as “Ten miles of lake light shimmering blue, painting the spring of Jiangnan in February. When you meet peach blossoms, ask if there are any Qin Dynasty recluses hiding here,” and “Homes near the water catch the moon first, but in the willow season, no orioles can be heard. It’s clearly Xu Chen’s old residence—where is the foremost person of the east wind?” are widely loved and have been passed down through generations.

After Wu Qiongxian’s passing, the “Xieyun Tower Poetry Collection” was published. Many notable poets of the time inscribed verses in her honor. Zhao Yi, a Qing Dynasty literary figure and historian who penned the famous lines “Each era gives birth to talent, each leading for centuries,” wrote: “A volume of orchid poems, brushed into form with ease, such refined talent deserves to be praised. Had it not been transmitted by Xiao Shi himself, who would have recognized the phoenix song from the Qin Tower?” Hong Liangji wrote: “All the rare fortunes of the mortal world you’ve enjoyed—he the Langcheng, you the Shuangcheng. Reading and composing poetry, year after year. Your three lifetimes of wisdom remain unforgotten: writing rhymes in a past life, using them in this, leaving behind spiritual roots for rebirth...” Yang Fujie added: “Words from the heavens fall like pearls and jade. The phoenix-flute plays along with the zither, enjoying the lessons by the green window. The family tradition of phoenix-writing shines brightly in the east of the river. Why does all of southern learning bow, offering incense to the west?” ...

After Wu Qiongxian wrote the “Xieyun Tower Poetry Collection,” the tower also became a major scenic attraction in Lili. Whenever literati visited, poetic inspiration would flow freely. Zhao Yun wrote “Ascending Xieyun Tower After Rain”: “Greenery fills the windows, mist hovers over distant villages. Spring intoxicates the dreams of ten thousand homes, clouds guard the tower’s majesty. Old verses veil the lamplight faintly, rare books warm with wine. Emotions stir uncontrollably, like wild geese tracing past footprints.” Guo wrote “Passing Xieyun Tower, Seeing a Painting of Orchids on a Round Fan on the Wall, Thinking of Lady Shan Shan”: “Ink-filled silence in the empty room brings thoughts, where to send longing like precious jade? Dewy twigs and rainy leaves on the river path, sorrow peaks when smoke and mist sweep lightly.” ...

The fifth courtyard of Xu Dayuan’s former residence is called Xinyong Tower, where Xu Dayuan once lived, and is now accessible from Xixu Family Lane. This tower has three bays with two wing rooms, featuring nine floor-length lattice windows lined up in a row. The skirt boards of the windows are carved with various patterns. In front of the tower is a stone-paved courtyard filled with lush flowers and trees. To the south stands a brick-carved gate tower, the four characters on its plaque having been chiseled away during the Cultural Revolution, though “Lan Gui Ju Fang” (Orchids and Osmanthus Both Fragrant) can still be faintly made out. In the past, Xinyong Tower, like Xieyun Tower, was also a major scenic spot in Lili, leaving behind many poems by literati. The “Lili Continued Chronicles,” published during the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty, includes Zhou Ji’s “Passing Xinyong Tower and Composing with Qiushi and Zhushu”: “Living just a step away from worldly ties, arriving in the fresh air of early February. Water coots call from the fields, bamboo fences nestle amid misty streams. Good poetry comes effortlessly, parting sorrows arise upon reunion. Facing each other, don’t mind our unchanged selves—hurry and buy village wine to drink beneath the flowers.” From the poem, one can see that Xinyong Tower was truly a fine place for admiring flowers, drinking wine, and composing poetry. No wonder Xu Dayuan wrote many poems and compiled numerous local chronicles here.

Source: Lili Culture and Tourism Development Co., Ltd.

Xu Dayuan (1767—? ), styled Minjiang, also known as Wujie, with the sobriquet Shanmin. A native of Lili Town, Wujiang. His wife, Lady Yan, was from Luzhi. In the first year of the Daoguang reign (1821), he moved to Luzhi, befriended a group of literati there, and began collecting poems about Luzhi written by poets throughout history, compiling them into “Wu Jun Fu Li Poetry Compilation” and “Guo Chao Wu Jun Fu Li Poetry Compilation.” During the process, he came across extensive biographical material and thus wrote “Fu Li Figures Record,” officially titled “Wu Jun Fu Li Figures Record,” consisting of 22 volumes: volumes 1–13 are biographies, volumes 14–17 are biographies of notable women, volumes 18–20... More details on Xu Dayuan ++

Wu Qiongxian was a literary figure and female poet of the Qing Dynasty, from Wujiang, Jiangsu. She was the wife of Xu Dayuan, a Hanlin Academy attendant. Fond of poetry, she authored the “Xieyun Tower Poetry Collection” and “Shuang Chao Fei Cui Ge Xia Zha.”

Wu Qiongxian [Qing Dynasty], female, styled Zipai, also known as or sobriqueted as Shan Shan, from Wujiang, Jiangsu. She was the wife of Xu Dayuan, a Hanlin Academy attendant. Fond of poetry, she authored the “Xieyun Tower Poetry Collection” and “Shuang Chao Fei Cui Ge Xia Zha.” When her husband Xu Dayuan went to the capital, she gave him heartfelt advice: “The doorway is as deep as the sea—Dai Andao was no follower of flattery; rice is as precious as pearls—could Bai Juyi be a guest of Chang’an? I hope you’ll return soon.” The couple shared a passion for poetry... More details on Wu Qiongxian ++

Fenhu High-Tech Zone (Lili Town): Lili Town is located 30 kilometers southeast of Wujiang County and is a well-preserved, typical Jiangnan ancient town. The town follows a one-river-two-streets layout, with most of the buildings along the banks being two-story structures from the Ming and Qing dynasties, their shopfronts closely connected. Another feature of the ancient town is its long revetments, all built from Jieji stone. Even after hundreds of years, they remain neat and solid. Over 300 stone railings are embedded along the revetments, among which the delicate elephant-trunk stone railings resemble seals crafted by stonemasons—small in size but full of charm. They serve as excellent mooring facilities and are also valuable works of art. Lili is also the hometown of the famous patriotic... More details on Fenhu High-Tech Zone (Lili Town) ++