The Shi Family Western-style House in Lili

The Shi Family Western-style House in Lili

The Shi Family Western-style House in Lili is a cultural heritage site protected by Suzhou Municipality.

The Shi Family Western-style House is located at No. 32, Xian’an West Bank Road, on the west side of the old street, and its design is a revolutionary departure from traditional residential architecture. The Shi Family Garden was built in 1929. Facing east and spanning three bays in width, it consists of three courtyards. In front of the street-facing gate are a pair of square, finely polished stone pillars, though the original cast iron gate has been lost. The first courtyard is two stories high, with walls made of exposed red brick and cement inlays... The second courtyard is also a two-story building, with the main structure measuring 14.5 meters in width and 6.6 meters in depth. It is connected to the first courtyard via north and south wing rooms surrounding a central courtyard, forming a continuous corridor-style layout. The third courtyard is a single-story building, connected to the second via an upper-level cement skybridge.

In the early years of the Republic of China, a young man named Shi Yongsheng from Xiasi Village had learned excellent cooking skills and ran a small restaurant with his wife. However, they faced exclusion from all sides and were forced to close the business. Through an introduction, they went to work as servants for the Pang family in Nanxun, Zhejiang. The Pang family was one of the “Four Great Families” of Nanxun. Later, the couple followed their employer, Pang Yuanji (1864–1949), to Shanghai. Shi Yongsheng was an exceptional cook, and his employer called him “Master Yongsheng,” while his wife, known for her dexterity, was called “Madam Shi.” Madam Shi and Mrs. Pang shared a mother-daughter-like bond. A decade later, during the Lunar New Year of 1921, Mrs. Pang suddenly came up with the idea of visiting the countryside in Lili with Madam Shi. The two arrived at Xiasi Village, where they found only three dilapidated side rooms that were completely uninhabitable. Madam Shi had no choice but to take her mistress to the Hongfu Inn near Yangjia Bridge in town for the night before returning to Shanghai the next day. Back in Shanghai, Mrs. Pang told Madam Shi that if they could secure a piece of land in Lili and hire a few relatives to help with the construction, she would have the building materials transported from Nanxun and arrange for skilled craftsmen. Subsequently, Yongsheng purchased a plot of land near Qingfeng Bridge in Lili, and within less than half a year, the Shi Family Western-style House was completed.

At first glance, the Shi Family Western-style House appears to be a Western-style building. Aside from the exterior walls and the two cement and finely polished stone gateways, the house is essentially a traditional residence dressed in Western attire, with the interior still following a Chinese layout. The original owner was influenced by Western-style houses and sought to stand out in the ancient town, yet was unwilling to completely abandon tradition. Alternatively, it’s possible that the designers and builders of the house were not entirely familiar with the internal structure of Western homes, resulting in this East-meets-West architectural fusion.

Looking at the outermost cement and finely polished stone gateway, the year “1929” is clearly visible, though the floral decorative patterns beneath it have been lost—likely removed intentionally. Further down, there should have been inscriptions on the lintel, but those too are gone, leaving only an empty frame. Exiting through the side door leads to a courtyard. The stone gateway in the courtyard is also Western in style, and the original text on its lintel has disappeared, though the faint outline of four large characters—“Eliminate Capitalism, Promote Communism”—can still be discerned. This was likely a “masterpiece” from the late 1960s. Passing through this stone gateway, the space becomes indistinguishable from other traditional old residences.

Fenhu High-Tech Zone (Lili Town): Lili Town is located 30 kilometers southeast of Wujiang County and is a well-preserved, typical ancient town in the Jiangnan region. 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, featuring contiguous storefronts. Another distinctive feature of the ancient town is its long revetments, all built with Jieji stone. Even after hundreds of years, they remain neat and solid. Embedded along the revetments are more than 300 stone railings, among which the exquisitely crafted elephant trunk railings resemble seals crafted by stonemasons—small in size yet rich in charm. These railings serve not only as excellent mooring facilities but also as precious works of art. Lili is also the hometown of the renowned patriot... More information about Fenhu High-Tech Zone (Lili Town) ++