Wang Shouren’s Former Residence and Tomb

Wang Shouren’s Former Residence and Tomb

Wang Shouren’s Former Residence and Tomb is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The former residence is situated on the west side of Wushengmen Road in Yuyao’s traditional historical district, north of Yangming East Road. Facing south with a rectangular floor plan, it spans over 4,600 square meters. The architecture showcases key characteristics of official buildings in eastern Zhejiang during the Ming Dynasty—sturdy materials, a majestic presence, and rigorous structural design. The buildings are symmetrically arranged along a central axis, with primary and secondary structures organized in an orderly fashion and simple yet elegant decorative elements. The entire residence exudes a sense of deep courtyards while maintaining a dignified and refined ambiance. From south to north along the central axis, the residence consists of the entrance hall, sedan chair hall, brick-carved gate tower, main hall, Ruiyun Tower, and rear covered rooms. Among them, the brick-carved gate tower is a wood-imitation structure with four pillars and three bays; the stone pillars are adorned with finely crafted brick carvings of brackets, upturned eaves, and facing bricks. The craftsmanship is exquisite and delicate, reflecting the high level of brick carving techniques at the time. The main hall—“Shoushan Hall”—is a three-bay high and spacious single-story building with a simple and classic design, using robust and steady materials, with rigorous decoration of components. A plaque inscribed with “True Three Immortalities” by Jiang Dongshu hangs under the corridor of the central bay inside Shoushan Hall. This is a definitive praise of Wang Yangming’s lifelong achievements in establishing virtue, merit, and scholarship, all of which reached unparalleled heights.

Passing through the corridor from the main hall leads to the residence’s main building—Ruiyun Tower. Ruiyun Tower is a two-story wooden structure with double eaves and a gable and hip roof, featuring five bays and two lanes, covering a construction area of 532.56 square meters. Below the front eave of the central bay on the first floor hangs a plaque inscribed with “Ruiyun Tower” by Mr. Shi Shuqing. The couplet on the front eave pillars reads: “Establishing virtue, merit, and scholarship—truly three immortalities; understanding reason, wisdom, and teachings—as a teacher to all.” The inner eave pillar couplet reads: “Once expounded the Great Learning to uphold moral teachings; still stands this lofty tower revealing auspicious clouds.” The first floor now houses the “Exhibition of Wang Yangming’s Historical Traces,” displaying images of relics from places Wang Yangming visited, his famous literary works, and some physical materials. It systematically introduces his lifetime achievements and explains the profound influence of Yangming’s philosophy overseas, especially in Japan. The second floor is arranged as a restored display of the living quarters of Wang Yangming and his family. In front of the tower is a passageway, flanked by courtyards planted with flowers and trees. On the east and west sides stand the “Yangming Studies Memorial Stele” and the “Ruiyun Tower Restoration Stele,” both donated by Japanese friends. The main structure of the tower was later burned down during the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty, but the ceremonial gate, main hall, and surrounding buildings remained largely intact. The fire site has been preserved to this day. In 1996, funded by the municipal government, materials from demolished Ming Dynasty buildings were used to reconstruct the tower on the original site, following the Ming style and the original layout described in the historical document “Record of Ruiyun Tower.”

In the eighth year of the Ming Chenghua era (1472), Wang Yangming was born in Ruiyun Tower. At that time, the tower was rented by Wang Yangming’s father, Wang Hua, from the Mo family before he became the top scholar in the imperial examinations. Wang Yangming spent his childhood here. He returned to his hometown four times—in his 21st, 42nd, 50th, and 54th years—especially in the 16th year of the Zhengde era (1521), when he came back to sweep the ancestral tombs. On that occasion, he specifically climbed to Ruiyun Tower. Historical records state that he pointed to where his swaddling clothes were kept inside the tower, thinking of his mother and grandmother, and shed tears because his busy military duties prevented him from being there for their births and funerals. This incident shows Wang Yangming’s deep attachment to his hometown and former home—even amid the hustle of military campaigns, he often found himself longing for home, as in his poem: “Alone at night, the dying lamp fails to bring dreams; the rustling sounds are always those of my homeland.” The tower was later rented to the Qian family. In the ninth year of the Hongzhi era (1496), Qian Dehong, Wang Yangming’s most accomplished disciple and a renowned Confucian scholar, was also born in this very tower—a remarkable coincidence in history.

After years of continuous restoration and renovation, the overall layout of Wang Yangming’s former residence has been well preserved.

In June 2006, it was jointly announced as part of the sixth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units along with the Tomb of Wang Shouren in Shaoxing.

Address: Yuyao Town, Yuyao City, Zhejiang Province

Wang Shouren (1472–1529), a Chinese philosopher of the Ming Dynasty and a master synthesizer of the School of Mind (Xinxue) idealism. His courtesy name was Bo’an, and his pseudonym was Yangming. A native of Yuyao, Zhejiang, he was a renowned thinker, writer, philosopher, and military strategist of the Ming era, and the consummator of Lu-Wang School of Mind. Proficient in Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism, Wang Shouren is celebrated alongside Confucius, Mencius, and Zhu Xi as one of the “Four Sages: Confucius, Mencius, Zhu Xi, and Wang.” His philosophical doctrine, Wangxue (Yangmingism), was the most influential school of thought during the Ming Dynasty. His academic ideas spread to China, Japan, the Korean Peninsula, and Southeast Asia. Renowned for both his moral character and scholarly contributions, his achievements were unmatched in the Ming era... More details about Wang Shouren ++

Further Reading:

· Sixth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units