The former residence of Wang Xizhi at Jiezhu Temple

The former residence of Wang Xizhi at Jiezhu Temple

The former residence of Wang Xizhi at Jiezhu Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Located within Chang’an Gate in the northeast corner of Shaoxing city proper, “Jiezhu Temple” displays cultural relics of the “Sage of Calligraphy,” Wang Xizhi. This was originally the longtime home of Wang Xizhi, and “Jiezhu Temple” represents a lifelong regret of his.

The former residence of Wang Xizhi at Jiezhu Temple is located at the southern foot of Jishan Hill, now on West Street in Shaoxing. The reason the old house came to be named Jiezhu Temple originates from a historical story. It’s said that Wang Xizhi had two passions—one was love for cranes, and the other an obsession with pearls. To keep his fingers nimble and strong, enhancing the vigor of his brushstrokes, Wang Xizhi always wore a crystal-clear, smooth, and perfectly round pearl, which he would often hold in his palm and rub back and forth. One day, as Wang Xizhi stood by the pond, gently rubbing the pearl and admiring the white cranes playing in the water, a servant suddenly informed him that a monk had come to visit. Wang Xizhi casually placed the pearl on the table and began chatting with his monk friend. Not long after, another visitor arrived to see Wang Xizhi. He asked the monk to wait a moment and went out to greet the other guest. When he returned, the pearl on the table had vanished. Wang Xizhi suspected the otherworldly visitor of having impure thoughts. Though he didn’t voice his suspicion outright, his facial expression betrayed his disdain. The monk, feeling deeply wronged, was unable to defend himself and left dejectedly... This innocent monk, suffering from the injustice, became so heartbroken that he lost all appetite and, not long after, passed away by “sitting in meditation”—in reality, starving himself to death.

Unexpectedly, one of Wang Xizhi’s large white cranes also suddenly fell ill, refusing food and drink, and died within days. The family, puzzled, dissected the crane’s belly and actually found the missing pearl inside. It turned out that the crane had mistaken the pearl for food and swallowed it. Wang Xizhi was deeply saddened, realizing he had wronged his monk friend. Filled with remorse and sorrow, he was struck by how base he had been—doubting and hurting his most sincere friend over something as trivial as a material object. From then on, he gave up his pearl-playing hobby. In honor of the innocent monk, he donated the entire residence along with the surrounding gardens and woodlands to Buddhism to build a temple, personally inscribing the horizontal plaque “Jiezhu Temple” to hang above the gate as a memorial to the monk and a warning to himself.

He converted his residence into “Jiezhu Temple,” vowing to take the incident of losing the pearl as a lesson—that friends should be treated with sincerity, and one must not easily suspect others, causing them to suffer unjust accusations. Later, when Wang Xizhi passed away, his son followed his father’s dying wish, coating the body with lacquer to preserve it, so that it could continue to fulfill its duty. However, the lacquer proved inadequate for preservation, and so a statue was created in its place, making it unique among temples. The name “Jiezhu” carries dual meanings—it is derived both from the Buddhist scripture “Lotus Sutra·Preface Chapter,” which speaks of “diligently upholding pure precepts, just as one gains a precious pearl,” and it explains the original intention behind donating the residence.

Nestled against the hill and facing the street, the temple enjoys a serene yet accessible location. Its halls and corridors are clean, and the Buddha statues are solemn, making it one of the eight famous temples in the city. Originally the villa of Wang Youjun (Wang Xizhi), the Jin Dynasty’s Right Army General, the temple now houses an exhibition room dedicated to Wang Xizhi, attracting attention from tourists both at home and abroad. Aside from this temple, the main gates of most Buddhist temples in China are guarded by the smiling Maitreya Buddha. But at Jiezhu Temple, the entrance is flanked by a figure wearing a scholar’s cap, official robes, with a fair complexion and three strands of long beard—the esteemed Jin Dynasty Right Army General, Kuaiji Prefect, and great calligrapher Wang Xizhi. To his sides, two attendants stand: one holding a stack of books, the other cradling a crane. This seated figure is none other than Wang Xizhi. Municipal-level cultural heritage protection site.

Jiezhu Temple has been destroyed and rebuilt many times. The current structures, including the mountain gate, main hall, and eastern wing, were reconstructed in 1924. The couplet on the gate reads: “This place is no sacred mountain, yet what world is this? If there is no sage within, why such solemn grandeur?” Originally penned by Zhang Daqian, it was lost during the Cultural Revolution but has since been rewritten by later generations. In 1983, the gate, main hall, and the Mo Chi (Ink Pond) outside the temple were renovated, and the site was officially opened to the public.

Attraction Location

West Street, Yuecheng District, Shaoxing City, Zhejiang Province

Admission: 5 RMB