Zhao Puchu Park

Zhao Puchu Park

Mr. Zhao Puchu was born on November 5, 1907, in Tiantaili, Anqing. At the age of four, he returned with his parents to his ancestral home, the Zhuangyuan Mansion by Siqian River in Taihu County, Anhui Province, where he lived until autumn 1920 when he left home to pursue further studies. Throughout his life, Mr. Zhao continuously sought truth and progress, remained devoted and tireless in serving the nation and its people, and became a famous social activist, an outstanding patriotic religious leader, a close friend of the Communist Party of China, a renowned writer, poet, and master calligrapher well-known both in China and abroad. He held important positions such as Vice Chairman of the 9th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Honorary Chairman of the Central Committee of the China Association for Promoting Democracy, and President of the Buddhist Association of China. He made great contributions to the revitalization of the Chinese nation and the peace of the world. On May 21, 2000, Mr. Zhao passed away in Beijing, leaving his hometown people in deep sorrow. To forever commemorate his remarkable achievements, further promote his lofty spirit of patriotism and love for his hometown, provide a place for people from his hometown and visitors worldwide to pay tribute and remember him, and promote the rapid development of Taihu County’s culture and education, the Taihu County Party Committee and County Government, responding to the wishes of the county's 570,000 residents, decided to build the Zhao Puchu Cultural Park in Siquan Town, Mr. Zhao’s hometown.

The Zhao Puchu Cultural Park is located in Wannianchong, Siquan Town. Backed by the picturesque Phoenix Mountain and facing the rippling waters of Huating Lake, the park is surrounded by lush trees and enjoys an exceptionally beautiful environment. It symbolizes the enduring spirit of Mr. Zhao, high and lasting like mountains and waters, and embodies the continuous remembrance and reverence of his fellow hometown people.

The Zhao Puchu Cultural Park consists of several parts: the already completed Siquan River Cultural Park, the Zhao Puchu Life Exhibition Hall, and the planned Zhao Puchu Former Residence, Zhao Puchu Memorial Corridor, ancient residential buildings (formerly the Liu Family Ancestral Hall), and Bao'en Buddhist Temple. The total area covers 23 hectares.

The already completed Siquan River Cultural Park was designed by renowned experts from the Anhui Urban and Rural Planning and Design Institute and the School of Architecture and Art of Hefei University of Technology. It occupies a total area of 9 hectares, is adjacent to the Siquan town center, faces Mr. Zhao’s former residence across the water, enjoys a superior geographical location, and benefits from convenient land and water transportation.

The Siquan River Cultural Park faces south and is organized along a central axis designed as a sacred pathway. This axis is based on the orientation of the mountain, follows the natural terrain with smooth turns, and wraps around layer by layer. From top to bottom, along the axis are arranged a plaza, a memorial archway, a moon pond, a stele pavilion, and a memorial platform (with a statue). Further up is the tree burial site for Mr. Zhao’s remains, where his ashes will be laid to rest under a ginkgo tree. The surrounding memorial platform is semi-circular, giving a strong sense of gathering and enclosure. The entire tree burial site is built mainly with stone materials, presenting an ancient and solemn atmosphere. Measured from the park entrance, the axis has a maximum horizontal span of 501 meters and a maximum vertical elevation difference of 71.5 meters. The sacred path is 10 meters wide with 456 steps. From the memorial platform, one can overlook the “myriad layers of mountain hues and thousands of acres of shimmering lake waves” of Huating Lake in full view. The Siquan River Cultural Park conveys a sense of sacredness, solemnity, reverence, permanence, and vitality, creating a strong commemorative atmosphere. At the same time, it emphasizes simplicity and naturalness, fully reflecting Mr. Zhao’s character and personal charm. The memorial archway is 15.9 meters long and 13.5 meters high, crafted from the renowned Huizhou blue stone using designs and production by the well-known Tunxi Stone Carving Craft Factory in Huangshan. The moon pond covers 350 square meters and contains nine lotus flowers, symbolizing the wish for Mr. Zhao to return again. The planned Poetry Stele Pavilion is a double-eaved round pavilion with a square base. Inside, a stone stele is erected; the front is inscribed with Mr. Zhao’s “Ziduqu · Book Gift to Taihu County People’s Government” written during his return to his hometown in 1990, demonstrating his deep affection for his hometown. The back features Mr. Zhao’s last will, expressing his broad-minded view on life and death. The statue is 9.3 meters tall, and the final section of the sacred path consists of 93 steps, both symbolizing the 93 extraordinary years of Mr. Zhao’s life. The statue is carved from the famed Beijing Fangshan white marble, meticulously designed and sculpted by Mr. Zhen Yanchang, a Master of Arts and Crafts of China awarded by UNESCO, and Chairman of Quyang Xinying Sculpture Factory in Hebei Province.

The landscaping of the Siquan River Cultural Park was designed and constructed by Nanjing Jinpu Landscape Engineering Co., Ltd., a national second-level landscaping enterprise. It is divided into three major zones: “Noble Character,” “Fruitful Achievements,” and “Eternal Glory.” The landscape primarily features lush pines and cypresses, local tree species, and a well-balanced arrangement of trees, shrubs, flowers, grasses, fruits, evergreen and deciduous plants, evoking a sense of solemnity, depth, and natural beauty.

The Zhao Puchu Former Residence, ancient residences, and Bao’en Buddhist Temple, also key components of the Zhao Puchu Cultural Park, are soon to commence construction.

Address: Wannianchong, Siquan Town, Taihu County, Anqing City

Zhao Puchu (1907–2000), from Taihu, Anhui, was a renowned Buddhist scholar, social activist, and calligrapher. He was a patriotic religious leader and a member of the China Association for Promoting Democracy.

Zhao Puchu was born in the “Four Generations of Hanlin Scholars” Taihu Zhuangyuan Mansion in Anqing. His father, Zhao Weiru, graduated from the Provincial Higher School and was later appointed as a provisional county magistrate in Hubei Province, but he had no interest in officialdom and dedicated himself to studying calligraphy and painting at home. Zhao Puchu benefited greatly from growing up in such an environment. All household affairs were managed by his mother, who often told him stories of ancient scholars’ diligence and hard work in her spare time... Zhao Puchu's detailed information++