Tingjin Pavilion

Tingjin Pavilion

Tingjin Pavilion, also known as Hidden Leisure Tower, was built in the early years of the Republic of China. It was funded through the exchange of calligraphy and paintings donated by members of the Shanghai Tingjin Pavilion Calligraphy and Painting Association, including Ha Shaofu, Hu Ermei, Wang Yiting, Mao Zijian, Wu Changshuo, and Wu Shiqian. It served as the artistic activity venue for the Shanghai Tingjin Pavilion Calligraphy and Painting Association in Hangzhou. Tingjin Pavilion is a traditional Chinese garden-style villa, situated at the highest point of the Xiling Seal Art Society, covering an area of about 70 square meters, with a brick-and-wood structure. The house is built along the mountain slope, facing south with its back to the north, exuding an elegant and classic charm. It served as Wu Changshuo’s “creative villa” in Hangzhou.

Tingjin Pavilion was originally the name of a Shanghai-based painting organization led by Wu Changshuo called the Tingjin Pavilion Studio. After the Xiling Seal Art Society was established on Gushan Hill in 1913, Wu Changshuo, its first president, built a house on the site of the society and transferred this elegant name to the building. In 1914, the pavilion was completed and also named Hidden Leisure Tower, inspired by a poetic line from Su Dongpo. Every time Wu Changshuo came to West Lake, he would climb the steps up Gushan Hill to reach Tingjin Pavilion, remarking, "Whenever I stay here, the beauty of the lake and mountains seems to gather in my brush and fill my heart." This house now serves as an exhibition pavilion.

“Friends long missed reunite by the Virtue Gate, their bond as light and wordless as water. Guests bring new verses from the sea, while old wine stains fill the mountain air. Grids hold black silk with vivid artistry, skirts display white scrolls with ink's lingering trace. Henceforth, fine tales shall linger on this isle, and laughter heard from afar feels close as warmth.” The plaque inscribed with the name “Tingjin Pavilion” was written by Jin Erzhen. Inside the pavilion, walls are inlaid with engraved stones such as Ding Jing’s “Poetic Inkstones from the Ink Forest.” On the walls beside the gate are stone carvings including Ren Bonian’s painting “Wu Changshuo Gazing at the Sky While Hungry” and “Portrait of Zhao Shu.” The open space in front of the pavilion offers one of the best views of West Lake, earning it the praise: “Pleasant in both rain and shine, quiet contemplation brings its own reward; the ultimate joy lies in perfection.”