Former Residence Memorial Hall of Wang Yangming

Former Residence Memorial Hall of Wang Yangming

The Former Residence Memorial Hall of Wang Yangming is a cultural relic protection unit of Zhejiang Province.

The former residence of Wang Yangming is situated on the west side of Wushengmen Road in the traditional historical district of Yuyao city center, north of Yangming West Road. It is a national key cultural relic protection unit. The Ruiyun Tower was built during the Ming Dynasty and is the birthplace of the master of Mind School, Wang Yangming.

Wang Yangming, whose given name was Shouren, courtesy name Bo’an, and sobriquet Yangming, was born in 1472 in the northern part of Yuyao during the reign of Emperor Chenghua of the Ming Dynasty, and died in 1529 during the reign of Emperor Jiajing. He was a renowned philosopher, educator, and military strategist of the Ming Dynasty. Wang Yangming lived for generations at the northern foot of Longquan Mountain in Yaocheng. At the time of his birth, his grandmother dreamed that an immortal rode auspicious clouds to bring her a baby boy, so she named the house where he was born “Ruiyun Tower” (Auspicious Cloud Tower). After his father, Wang Hua, became the top scholar in the imperial examination, Wang Yangming went to the capital with him. At the age of 28, he passed the imperial examination and subsequently served as an official in the Ministry of War, as the postmaster of Longchang, as the magistrate of Luling County, and as the governor of Jiangxi and Guangdong regions. He eventually rose to the rank of Minister of War in Nanjing, was granted the title “Duke of Xinjian,” and was posthumously honored with the title “Wencheng.”

Wang Yangming’s achievements were multifaceted, but most notably, he summarized and completed the Mind School philosophy system that had been developing since the Song and Ming Dynasties, earning him the academic title of “Master of the Mind School.” The hallmark of his philosophical thought was his opposition to viewing Confucian teachings of Confucius and Mencius as rigid dogma, and his rejection of blind obedience to feudal ethics. Instead, he emphasized individual agency, proposing the philosophical concept of “extension of innate knowledge” (zhiliangzhi) and the methodology of “unity of knowledge and action” (zhixing heyi), which carried the significance of breaking free from feudal ideological constraints and advocating for intellectual and personal liberation. Wang Yangming accepted many disciples and promoted his ideas, historically known as the “Yangming School.” Because a large number of his followers came from his birthplace in Yuyao, it is also referred to as the “Yaoriver School.” His written works include the 38-volume Complete Works of Wang Wencheng, which scholars regard as one of the earliest enlightenment philosophies to emerge in the later period of China’s feudal medieval society.

The residence faces south and has a rectangular layout. Its architectural design and construction reflect some typical features of official buildings in eastern Zhejiang during the Ming Dynasty—using sturdy materials, projecting a grand and imposing atmosphere, with each structure meticulously organized along a central axis in symmetrical distribution. The main and secondary buildings are arranged in order, and the decorative elements are simple and elegant. The entire residence gives a sense of deep courtyards while maintaining an air of dignity and refined elegance. From south to north along the central axis, the residence consists of the entrance hall, sedan hall, brick-carved gate tower, main hall, Ruiyun Tower, and rear wing room.

The main building of Wang Yangming’s former residence—the Ruiyun Tower—is a two-story wooden structure with five bays and two side rooms, featuring double-eaved gabled roofs. It is named after the legend of an immortal riding auspicious clouds to deliver a child. Under the eaves 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 pillar of the central bay reads: “Cultivating virtue, achieving merit, and articulating truth—these are the three forms of immortality; understanding reason, gaining insight, and teaching others—you are the teacher of 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 story goes that when Wang Yangming was born, his grandmother dreamed of an immortal riding auspicious clouds bringing a child, hence the tower was named Ruiyun Tower. Wang Yangming spent his childhood in this tower. The main building covers an area of over 500 square meters, with seven levels above ground and seven below, featuring double-eaved gabled roofs. Its structure is simple yet imposing, showcasing the basic architectural style of residential towers in the eastern Zhejiang region during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The main building houses an exhibition on the historical traces of Wang Yangming. Using rich and detailed photographic materials and artifacts, the exhibit displays the brilliant life of Mr. Wang Yangming, celebrated as “the foremost figure of the Ming Dynasty,” who excelled in “achievement, virtue, and words.”

Address: No. 36, Yangming West Road, Yuyao City, Ningbo

Type: Celebrity Residence

Phone: 0574-62649095

Opening Hours:

8:30–17:00 (summer), 8:30–16:30 (winter)

Ticket Information: Free admission

Wang Shouren (1472–1529), a philosopher of the Ming Dynasty in China, was the synthesizer of idealist Mind School philosophy. His courtesy name was Bo’an, and his sobriquet was Yangming. A native of Yuyao, Zhejiang, he was a renowned thinker, writer, philosopher, and military strategist of the Ming Dynasty, as well as the culmination of the Lu-Wang School of Mind. He had a profound mastery of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. Wang Shouren, along with Confucius, Mencius, and Zhu Xi, is collectively referred to as Kong, Meng, Zhu, and Wang. His doctrine, known as Wangxue or Yangmingxue (Yangming Learning), was the most influential philosophical thought of the Ming Dynasty. His academic ideas spread to China, Japan, the Korean Peninsula, and Southeast Asia. With achievements in both virtue and teachings, he stands unrivaled in the Ming Dynasty… More details on Wang Shouren ++