Xiaolian Manor

Xiaolian Manor

Xiaolian Manor, also known as "Liu Garden," was the private garden and ancestral temple of Liu Yong, the foremost of the "Four Great Families" of Nanxun during the late Qing Dynasty and an official honored with the title of Guanglu Grand Master in the late Qing era.

Situated by the Partridge Creek in the southern part of the town, it was built in the 11th year of the Guangxu reign (1885) by Liu Jing and his second son Liu Jinzao. The construction took forty years and was completed in 1924. Xiaolian Manor was named after the "Lotus Villa" built by the Yuan and Song dynasty calligrapher and painter Zhao Mengfu.

Covering an area of 17,399 square meters, Xiaolian Manor includes a lotus pond spanning 5,267 square meters and buildings that occupy 3,809 square meters. It is mainly divided into the outer garden and the inner garden.

The outer garden centers around a ten-acre lotus pond. The inner garden features a rockery made of Taihu stones as its main structure. The entire garden is exquisitely designed with ingenious craftsmanship, featuring pavilions, towers, broad terraces, and hills by the water. Each architectural element forms its own scenic view, with subtle transitions between scenes. The inner and outer gardens seem separate yet connected, arranged in a harmonious and picturesque layout.

Stele Corridor: Located to the west of the lotus pond, it is built along the eastern wall of the ancestral temple. The corridor showcases steles in various calligraphic styles including regular script, cursive script, clerical script, and seal script. The calligraphy is exquisite, the literary content elegant, and the carving work impeccable, making it a rare treasure that combines both historical and artistic value.

The walls of the corridor are inlaid with works such as "Collection from the Wisteria Flower Hall" and "Collection from the Plum Blossom Immortal Hall."

Among them is the "Collection of Calligraphy," which received high praise from Japanese scholars who visited and were moved to inscribe their admiration, marking a fine example of cultural exchange between China and Japan. There is also a collection engraved in the 16th year of the Jiaqing reign (1811), featuring poems and letters exchanged between Xu Dayuan (courtesy name Shanmin, from Lili, Wujiang, Jiangsu) of the Hanlin Academy and over twenty scholars and literati.

There is also a piece titled "Preface by Magistrate Liu of Yanping," written in running script by Liu Yong, also known as the "Prime Minister Liu Luoguo." The stele also bears an imperial seal reading "Imperially Bestowed Immortal Tendon," a humorous meeting of two "Lius" from north and south, adding an interesting chapter to the annals of history.

Jingxiang Poetry Grotto: Built in the 23rd year of the Guangxu reign (1897), it has a square hall structure, facing the ten-acre lotus pond to the east and connecting to the Stele Corridor to the west. The Jingxiang Poetry Grotto features open and bright windows that can be adjusted for ventilation, with gracefully curved beams and rafters. In summer, when lotuses bloom outside the windows and a cool breeze drifts in, visitors can enjoy tea while admiring the blossoms, experiencing a sense of escaping the mundane and returning to simplicity.

The most ingenious aspect of the "Jingxiang Poetry Grotto" architecture is the ceiling inside the hall, one shaped like a lifting vessel and the other like a bamboo hat (or straw raincoat), hence it is also commonly known as the "Lifting-Hat Hall." This uniquely designed structure is a one-of-a-kind in China. As the ancients said, “No elaborate caisson ceilings are used in residences unless they belong to royalty.” This Tang classic-style design reflects the luxury and noble status of the Liu family. It was once a place where the owners invited literati and refined scholars to compose poetry together.

Fan Pavilion: It gets its name because both its interior and exterior shapes resemble an open fan.

The overall design is unique and the construction exquisite. The ceiling, architraves, and lintels are all richly decorated with fine craftsmanship. Inside the pavilion, four stone carvings of the "Brief Record of the Liu Family Charitable Estate" are embedded in the walls. These were written by Liu Jinzao in 1925, mainly documenting the construction history of the Liu family ancestral temple, pavilions in the garden, and the Liu family private school from 1888 to 1922, as well as the process of establishing the charitable estate (allocating silver and properties in places like Qingpu and Jiaxing as endowment funds, using rental income specifically for family ancestral worship, disaster relief, and education).

Imperial-Gifted Memorial Archways: Built during the Xuantong reign of the Qing Dynasty. One is the "Virtue of Charity" Archway, and the other is the "Praised for Chastity and Filial Piety" Archway. They were erected following multiple imperial decrees by the Guangxu and Xuantong emperors to commend the Liu family’s charitable disaster relief efforts and the virtuous chastity and filial conduct of its women, commissioning the construction of these archways as recognition.

The archways are 8.5 meters tall and 5.6 meters wide, designed in the form of gate towers with five stories and four pillars. The carvings are both intricate and abundant. They depict traditional opera themes such as "The Number One Scholar," "King Wen Seeking the Wise," "Three Stars Shine Bright," "Liu Hai Playing with the Golden Toad," and "Wu Song Fighting the Tiger," as well as auspicious patterns including dragons, phoenixes, lions, qilins, bats, and exotic flowers and plants, all of which hold significant architectural art value.

Dongsheng Tower: Also known as the "Young Lady’s Tower," it is the only building in Xiaolian Manor that combines French architectural style with the design of a Chinese pagoda.

Built in the 1920s, it stands from east to west by the pond. Climbing to the top offers a panoramic view and a chance to watch the sunrise. It served as a leisure and summer retreat for the Liu family, especially popular among the female members who often gathered there, hence it is also called the "Young Lady’s Tower."