Yuhai Mansion

Yuhai Mansion

Yuhai Mansion is a national AAA-level tourist attraction and a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level.

One of the four famous ancient libraries in Zhejiang, Yuhai Mansion is located on Daoyuanqian Street in Rui’an’s Chengguan area. Built in 1888 by Sun Yiyun and his son Sun Yirang, it now includes the Baijin Studio and the former residence of Sun Yirang. The architecture is most notable for integrating the functions of a library, the distinctive features of high-quality residences in southern Zhejiang, and the charm of a private garden.

Yuhai Mansion faces south and is surrounded by rivers on three sides. It consists of two courtyards, front and back, with corridors on both sides, creating a tranquil courtyard filled with lush flowers and trees. The name “Yuhai” (literally “Jade Sea”) comes from the extensive writings of Wang Yinglin, a scholar of the Southern Song Dynasty, whom the Sun father and son greatly admired. They named the mansion after Wang’s monumental work, the "Yuhai."

When first built, the library housed 80,000 to 90,000 volumes, most of which were purchased over a decade following the seventh year of the Tongzhi reign. Many were rare and well-preserved editions from the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, originally owned by prominent families in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui. The collection became widely known for its volumes annotated by renowned scholars, a wealth of local documents from the Ou region, and handwritten annotations by the Sun family.

Today, the collection exceeds 30,000 volumes, including about 4,000 rare and valuable editions. In 1963, it was listed as a Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit. In 1964, Guo Moruo visited and inscribed the plaque “Yuhai Mansion,” among other calligraphic works, adding further prestige.

Transportation

Take a long-distance bus headed for Rui’an from the New South Bus Station, then transfer to a minibus to reach the scenic area;

By car, you can drive from Hangzhou via the Yong-Tai-Wen Expressway to Rui’an, then follow the road signs to the scenic area.

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level