Gu Yanwu’s Former Residence in Qiandeng

Gu Yanwu’s Former Residence in Qiandeng

Gu Yanwu’s Former Residence in Qiandeng is a cultural tourism attraction and a patriotic education base.

Gu Yanwu, originally named Jiang, with the courtesy name Ningren and the pseudonym Tinglin, was born in 1613 in Qiandeng Town, Kunshan, and died in 1682 (the 21st year of the Kangxi reign in the Qing Dynasty) in Quwo, Shanxi. His adopted son Gu Yansheng and cousin Gu Yan carried his coffin back to his hometown in Qiandeng, Kunshan, where he was buried in the ancestral cemetery next to the tomb of his adoptive father Gu Tongji and adoptive mother Wang Zhenxiao. In front of the tomb is a stele inscribed with “The Joint Tomb of Mr. Gu Tinglin and His Wife, Lady Wang”; it is surrounded by a low brick wall inlaid with two Qing Dynasty stone tablets; to the south of the tomb is a memorial archway erected during the Ming Dynasty to honor Mr. Gu’s adoptive mother, Lady Wang, for her chastity and filial piety; behind the tomb are four willow trees and dozens of pine and cypress trees. In the 21st year of the Guangxu reign (1894), Wan Lijun, the magistrate of Xinyang County, renovated the tomb.

In the 3rd year of the Republic of China (1914), Liang Dingfen, a scholar from Guangdong and leader of the Confucian Society, visited Qiandun specifically to pay respects at the Tinglin Tomb and view the posthumous portrait, and funded the construction of the Tinglin Shrine through Gu Ziyu, the 12th-generation descendant of Mr. Gu. In 1956, Gu Yanwu’s Tomb and Shrine were listed as “Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units.” During the Cultural Revolution, the tomb and shrine were damaged. In 1984, the Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Management Committee designed and funded the restoration of the tomb and shrine, which was carried out by the Kunshan Municipal Cultural Relics Management Committee. In 1997, the Kunshan Municipal Government funded the restoration of Gu Yanwu’s Former Residence, making full use of historical architectural elements such as the original square bricks, gateways, wells, and granite pillars to renovate the entrance hall, sedan hall, and main hall. In 2000, Gu Yanwu’s Former Residence was designated as a “Kunshan Patriotic Education Base” by the Kunshan Municipal Party Committee Propaganda Department and a “Suzhou Patriotic Education Base” by the Suzhou Municipal Party Committee Propaganda Department.

To protect historical heritage and preserve cultural history, in 2002, the Qiandeng Town People’s Government commissioned Southeast University to develop the “Gu Yanwu Tomb Protection Plan” and invested heavily in a comprehensive renovation of the former residence, shrine, and tomb. The project restored a 240-square-meter residential building, a 120-square-meter study building, a 100-square-meter water gate, and a 150-square-meter kitchen, and constructed the 30-acre Gu Garden with features of a traditional Jiangnan private garden. The current Gu Yanwu’s Former Residence covers an area of 60 acres with a built-up area of 5,450 square meters.

The restored Gu Yanwu’s Former Residence includes three areas: Gu Yanwu’s Former Residence, the Tinglin Shrine and Tomb, and the Gu Garden, making it the foremost Ming-Qing residential complex in Qiandeng.

Gu Yanwu’s Former Residence: This is the main part of the entire residence, facing east and situated westward, consisting of five courtyards of classic Ming-Qing architecture. From east to west, they are the water gate, entrance hall, sedan hall (Qing Hall), main hall (Ming Hall, also known as the Nanmu Hall), and residential building. On the north side, a rear corridor connects to the kitchen, study building, and backyard garden. The residence is connected to the millennia-old flagstone street at the front and links to the Gu Yanwu Tomb and Gu Garden at the back. This section mainly recreates Mr. Tinglin’s domestic life and study scenes, with displays of his statues, calligraphy, works, biographical details, and research findings about him and his writings from both China and abroad.

Tinglin Shrine and Tomb: Facing south and situated northward, there is a doorway on the east side connecting to Gu Yanwu’s Former Residence, and the west side borders the Gu Garden. The shrine consists of three interconnected rooms with a side wing and a gateway, forming a large ceremonial hall. The walls inside and along the corridor feature 12 brick and stone inscribed tablets recording episodes from Mr. Gu’s life. One of them bears the famous quote from his work *Daily Knowledge*: “The rise and fall of the nation concerns every individual.” There are two pagoda trees and two osmanthus trees in the courtyard. The terrace of the current Gu Yanwu Tomb is built with granite, featuring seven stone steps enclosed by a stone railing.

Gu Garden: Covering 30 acres, the Gu Garden is located southwest of the former residence and is connected to the shrine and tomb. It is a scenic area built with historical references, integrating lake views, waterscapes, and historical-cultural elements in the style of a traditional Jiangnan private garden. Winding waterways encircle ten attractions: the Utilization Pavilion, Siyi Garden, Songju Pavilion, “Guigu Guigui” (Two-Stone Studio), Xiushi Qiusong Estate, Autumn Mountain Pavilion, Sanxu Residence, Motherly Love Pavilion, Four Persimmon Pavilion, and a stele corridor. Each spot conveys the spirit and life of Mr. Gu through poetry, calligraphy, quotes, and statues.