Former Residence of Ji Gong

Former Residence of Ji Gong

The Former Residence of Ji Gong is a cultural tourism attraction.

The Former Residence of Ji Gong is located at Shiqiangtou in Yongning Village, outside the north gate of the ancient city of Tiantai, Zhejiang Province. It is the birthplace of Ji Gong “-” and a historical and cultural attraction in Zhejiang’s renowned historic city.

The residence had fallen into disrepair due to the ravages of time. In 2002, the Tiantai County People's Government approved and funded the restoration of the Ji Gong Former Residence, which was completed and officially opened to visitors in May 2004. The newly renovated residence is imbued with the atmosphere of the Southern Song Dynasty, embodies the cultural essence of Ji Gong, and presents the architectural style of an official’s residence from eastern Zhejiang during that period.

The residence covers an area of 16 acres with a total floor space of 6,310 square meters, primarily consisting of three main parts: the ancestral home of Ji Gong’s Li family, the Longxi Garden, and Yongning Village.

The ancestral home of Ji Gong’s Li family follows the “three-courtyard, nine-hall” architectural style typical of Eastern Zhejiang during the Southern Song Dynasty. It is the place where Ji Gong was born and grew up. The residence includes halls, bedrooms, studies, a Buddhist shrine, and an ancestral hall. The interior displays antique furniture, portraits, images, and materials on Ji Gong’s life and research, recreating the living conditions of the Li family during the Southern Song Dynasty and allowing visitors to gain deeper insight into the real Ji Gong from history.

Longxi Garden is the private garden of the Ji Gong Li family. It features a pond, waterside pavilions, the Moon-Fishing Pavilion, the Drunken Immortal Tower, corridors, and the Ji Gong Herbal Medicine Shop. The garden is lush with flowers and trees, exquisitely carved, elegantly designed, and richly decorated, embodying the refined charm of a southern Chinese garden along with the nobility of the Song imperial relatives. Within Longxi Garden, the Ji Gong Buddhist Shrine houses a jade standing statue of Ji Gong, with a backdrop carved from nanmu wood depicting the Five Hundred Arhats. It serves as a site for worship. Beside the shrine, rockeries, small bridges, flowing springs, waterfalls, and quaint pavilions create a delightful scene.

Yongning Village consists of the Guanxia Pavilion, two memorial archways, and buildings modeled after the ancient architecture of the Southern Song Dynasty, recreating the look of the old village. A stream called Zhè Xī flows from north to south through the village, serving as the “cradle” of young Ji Gong’s life.

Ji Gong: His secular name was Li Xiuyuan (also written as Xiuyuan or Xinyuan), born in the Southern Song Dynasty. He was a descendant of Li Zunxu, son-in-law of Emperor Zhenzong of the Song Dynasty. The Li family had served as officials for generations, known for their integrity, philanthropy, and devotion to Buddhism, making them a prominent and respected family in Táiyì.

Ji Gong grew up by the banks of Zhè Xī Stream and studied at Chicheng Mountain. In his early twenties, he entered monastic life, first joining Guoqing Temple, receiving full ordination at Lingyin Temple by West Lake, and later moving to Jingci Temple. He was principled and pure in character, unconventional and free-spirited in behavior. He helped those in need, fought against evil, and promoted good. Known for his poetry, wine, calligraphy, and extraordinary deeds, he gained fame across the land and was commonly referred to as “Ji Dian.”