Languai Villa

Languai Villa

Languai Villa is a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Zhejiang Province.

Built in the early years of the Republic of China, this traditional Chinese manor villa is located beside Huagangguanyu (Viewing Fish at Flower Harbor), also known as "Jiang’s Villa." Covering a construction area of 405 square meters, it houses structures such as the ZhenShang Tower, Xiangyan Pavilion, and the study room Juanxi Studio. It once served as the residence of Ma Yifu and is now a memorial museum.

The property was originally known as "Xiaowanliu Hall." During the Xuantong period of the Qing Dynasty, Jiang Guobang from Nanjing purchased the hall from Lian Huiqing, a renowned collector of epigraphy, calligraphy, and paintings from Wuxi. In the early years of the Republic of China, the house was rebuilt, extensively landscaped with flowers and trees, and renamed Languai Villa. In April 1950, at the invitation of his disciples, Ma Yifu, a leading Confucian scholar of his time, settled here. He often strolled along the long corridor at Huagang, telling his students: “Being a human being is a blessed thing. Through it, one can understand the truth of the world.” He encouraged students to strive upward, broaden their vision, and pursue knowledge extensively so as to "build our nation." It is now a provincial-level cultural relics protection unit.

Jiang Guobang (1893–1970), courtesy name Suan. A native of Nanjing, Jiangsu. Skilled in poetry and prose, he studied calligraphy in the styles of the Han and Wei dynasties, and had a passion for epigraphy, calligraphy, painting, and steles. In the 3rd year of the Republic of China, he partnered with Wang Yiting, Ha Shaofu, and others to renovate the Yuehu Tower in Jiaxing. He was known for his support of public welfare causes and, in his later years, often stayed in Hangzhou’s West Lake with Ma Yifu. ... More details about Jiang Guobang ++