Wu Zhen Memorial Hall

Wu Zhen Memorial Hall

Wu Zhen Memorial Hall is a national AA-level tourist attraction and a Major National Historical and Cultural Site.

Era: Yuan Dynasty

The tomb of Wu Zhen is located in Jiashan County, Zhejiang Province, dating back to the Yuan Dynasty. It faces south and has an overall height of 2.3 meters, with a tomb diameter of 5.2 meters. The base of the tomb is octagonal, built with flagstones, whose edges are carved with ruyi (auspicious) patterns. Three layers of flagstones are stacked atop the stone tomb, and the top is covered with earth and planted with grass. In May 2013, it was included in the seventh batch of Major National Historical and Cultural Sites.

In front of the tomb is a stele inscribed with the seal script “Here lies the tomb of the noble hermit Wu Zhonggui” by Xie Yingxiang, the magistrate of Jiashan County during the Ming Dynasty's Wanli era. The stele is 1.36 meters high, 0.62 meters wide, and 0.22 meters thick. There is also a stele inscribed with Wu Zhen’s own title “Tower of the Plum Blossom Monk,” but only the lower half remains, currently housed in the Plum Blossom Nunnery.

About 1 meter southeast of the tomb is the Plum Blossom Spring. At the end of the front corridor is the Plum Blossom Pavilion, featuring a hip-and-gable roof and measuring three bays in both width and depth. Inside the pavilion stands a running script stele titled “Record of Renovating the Tomb of the Plum Blossom Taoist,” written by Chen Jiru in the first year of the Taichang era (1620) of the Ming Dynasty. The stele is 2 meters high, 0.94 meters wide, and 0.23 meters thick. To the west of the pavilion is the Ink-Washing Pond, restored in 1986. On the eastern corridor are eight stone engravings of Wu Zhen’s bamboo paintings (known as the “Eight Bamboo Steles”), recarved in 1685 (the 24th year of the Kangxi reign in the Qing Dynasty) by Qian Shigeng based on the original rubbings. On the western stele corridor are three stone steles of Wu Zhen’s cursive script “Heart Sutra,” two steles with colophons by Liu Yong, the Eleventh Imperial Prince (Yongxing), and Qian Yue, one stele with Liu Zhen’s “Record of the Reconstruction of the Plum Blossom Nunnery” from the 45th year of the Qianlong reign (1780), and two steles with Cao Tingdong’s “Appeal for the Reconstruction of the Plum Blossom Nunnery.”

In 1990, to commemorate the 710th anniversary of Wu Zhen’s birth, a new entrance hall was constructed southeast outside the mountain gate. The plaques inscribed with “Hometown of Wu Zhen” were respectively written by the renowned painter Ye Qianyu and art appraiser Huang Yongquan.

In May 2013, it was included in the seventh batch of Major National Historical and Cultural Sites.

Wu Zhen Memorial Hall was completed in August 2000, located at No. 178 Huayuan Road, Weitang Subdistrict, Jiashan County. The site covers an area of 3,601.9 square meters, with a construction area of 2,078.88 square meters. The Ming- and Qing-style architecture harmonizes with the 700-year-old historical relics. The site features pavilions, small bridges over flowing water, the fragrance of plum blossoms, groves of bamboo, birdsong, and fish swimming — a blend of ancient heritage and new scenery, making it a famous cultural tourism destination in the Jiangnan region.

Major historical sites and attractions in the hall include: Plum Blossom Nunnery, Wu Zhen’s Tomb, Plum Blossom Pavilion, Eight Bamboo Steles, Cursive Script Heart Sutra Stele, Plum Blossom Spring, Ink-Washing Pond, Qianhong Pavilion, Renben Hall Ink Rubbing Steles, Ancient Stone Steles, Fisherman’s Painting Stele Corridor, Bamboo Spectrum Stele Corridor, as well as the Wu Zhen Exhibition Room, Wu Zhen Sculpture, Colorful Brush Pavilion, Cold Jade Pavilion, Fan Pavilion, Forest Spring Residence, Dripping Water Rockery, and Miniature Stone Bridge Scenery.

In April 1981, with approval from the People’s Government of Zhejiang Province, Wu Zhen’s Tomb was re-designated as a Provincial Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit. In February 1998, it was designated as a Provincial Patriotic Education Base with approval from the provincial government. In May 2013, Wu Zhen’s Tomb was listed in the seventh batch of Major National Historical and Cultural Sites with approval from the State Council.

Wu Zhen (1280–1354), styled Zhonggui, also known by his sobriquets Plum Blossom Taoist, Plum Taoist, and Plum Novice, was a native of Weitang, Jiashan, and one of the Four Great Painters of the Yuan Dynasty. He was praised by contemporaries as excelling in poetry, calligraphy, and painting—“three perfections.” Wu Zhen was famed for his lifelong reclusion and his focus on painting themes of seclusion. During the Yuan Dynasty, when literati painting flourished, his works exhibited a unique style that exemplified the cultural essence of ancient Chinese literati painting, holding irreplaceable value and significance in the history of Chinese art. Wu Zhen is China’s, and also the world’s.

Wu Zhen’s Tomb is located west of the Plum Blossom Nunnery. In front of the tomb is a seal script stele inscribed with “Here lies the tomb of the noble hermit Wu Zhonggui” by Xie Yingxiang, magistrate of Jiashan County during the Ming Dynasty’s Wanli era. It is a Major National Historical and Cultural Site.

The Wu Zhen Exhibition Room is divided into three main sections: I. Biography; II. Artistic Achievements; III. The Demeanor of a Noble Hermit. It provides a detailed introduction to Wu Zhen’s life, family background, artworks, demeanor as a noble hermit, and evaluations by later generations.

In March 1963, the People’s Committee of Zhejiang Province学士学位 designated Wu Zhen’s Tomb as a Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit. In April 1981, the People’s Government of Zhejiang Province re-designated it as such. In February 1998, Wu Zhen Memorial Hall was approved and designated as a Provincial Patriotic Education Base by the Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee and Government. In December 2001, it was approved as a national AA-level tourist attraction by the National Tourism Administration. In May 2013, Wu Zhen’s Tomb was designated as a Major National Historical and Cultural Site by the State Council.

Contact Information:

Address: No. 178 Huayuan Road, Weitang Subdistrict, Jiashan County, Zhejiang Province, Postal Code: 314100

Phone: 0573–84023804 / 0573–84033247

Fax: 0573–84033247, Wu Zhen Memorial Hall Website: www.wzjng.com

Admission: 5 RMB

Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM

Wu Zhen (1280–1354), a painter of the Yuan Dynasty and one of the Four Masters of the Yuan. Styled Zhonggui, he was also known by the sobriquets Plum Blossom Taoist and Plum Novice, and called himself the Plum Blossom Monk. A native of Weitang Town, Jiaxing, Zhejiang, his poetic and literary works include posthumous collections such as “Collected Writings of the Plum Taoist” and “Manuscripts from the Plum Blossom Nunnery.” He is famed for his landscape and ink bamboo paintings. His landscapes were influenced by Dong Yuan and Ju Ran, but with his own innovations. In technique, he often used long hemp-fiber texture strokes along with thick dotting methods to depict different scenes of mountains, rivers, and islets. His compositions and artistic moods are also richly varied. His unique contribution was transforming the light ink and misty style of Dong Yuan and Ju Ran into something more profound and vigorous... [More details on Wu Zhen++]