Shen Wansan's Water Tomb

Shen Wansan's Water Tomb

Shen Wansan's Water Tomb is a cultural tourism attraction.

Shen Wansan's Water Tomb is located at the bottom of Yinzi Creek in the north of the town. It is a winding, clear, and cool little creek. Pink duckweed and green algae float on the surface, while reeds and water bamboo grow thickly. Legend has it that at the end of Yinzi Creek lies a pool of water that connects to an underground spring and never dried up in the old days. Beneath the water lies an ancient tomb, incredibly sturdy. This is where the coffin of Shen Wansan is buried. The shimmering ripples on the river surface resemble countless fragments of broken silver shimmering, enveloped in an air of mystery. Legend has it that Shen Wansan possessed a magical "Treasure Basin." In those days, when Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang of the Ming Dynasty was building the Nanjing city wall, Shen contributed 13,000 taels of silver to fund the construction of the section from Hongwu Gate to Shuixi Gate. Later, when the project went over budget, he donated another 13,000 taels. However, Zhu Yuanzhang, being insatiable, demanded that Shen hand over the Treasure Basin. Shen refused, transported the silver back to Zhouzhuang, and hid it under Yinzi Creek. He then attempted to flee with the Treasure Basin, but was captured by Zhu Yuanzhang’s imperial guards and exiled to Yunnan. After Shen Wansan’s death, his coffin was brought back to Zhouzhuang and buried at the bottom of Yinzi Creek.

Address: Yinzi Creek, Zhouzhuang Town, Kunshan City, Suzhou (near the east entrance of Zhouzhuang Ancient Town)

Type: Cemetery/Grave site

Recommended visiting time: About 15 minutes

Phone: Zhouzhuang Ancient Town hotline: 4008282900; 0512-57211699

Opening hours:

Open all day

Ticket information:

No separate ticket required. Included in the Zhouzhuang Ancient Town ticket.

Zhouzhuang Town: Zhouzhuang Town is located in the northeastern part of Kunshan, bordering Taicang City and Changshu City. It was formed by merging the former Zhouzhuang, Xinzhen, and Luyang towns, and is designated as the central area of the northern part of Kunshan by the Kunshan Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government. The town covers an area of 81.56 square kilometers, with a local resident population of 43,000 and a migrant population of 60,000. It governs two subdistrict offices—Xinzhen and Luyang—12 community committees, and 15 administrative villages, comprising a total of 112 neighborhood groups and 382 villager groups. It has been awarded titles such as “Nationally Recognized Beautiful Environment Town,” “Jiangsu Provincial Civilized Town,” and “Suzhou Advanced Town for Investment Promotion...” More details about Zhouzhuang Town++