Zhe Hall

Zhe Hall

Zhe Hall is a cultural relic protection unit of Suzhou.

Zhe Hall is located on Gubei Street in Zhouzhuang. It was built after the Wujiang prominent Zhe family, led by Zhe Wenhuan, relocated from Xintai to Zhouzhuang during the Chongzhen era of the Ming Dynasty. According to the Zhe Family Genealogy, during the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty, the top imperial scholar Lu Runxiang once received his early education here. On April 20th of the 13th year of the Tongzhi reign (1874), after Lu Runxiang topped the palace examination, he joyfully referred to Zhe Hall as the “great study.”

Zhe Hall – the residence of the Wujiang prominent Zhe family, Zhe Wenhuan

The Zhe residence faces west and originally had five courtyards in a row. The first courtyard was the entrance hall along the street, the second was the sedan hall, the third was the main hall also known as the great study, and the fourth and fifth were inner halls and towers, with a rear garden extending to the rear Ruojing Canal. Now only the last two courtyards remain, covering a land area of 534.31 square meters and a building area of 207.74 square meters.