Former Residence of Qian Songyan

Former Residence of Qian Songyan

The former residence of Qian Songyan is a cultural heritage site protected at the municipal level in Yixing City.

The former residence of Qian Songyan is located in Huangjia Village, Yangxiang Town. In May 2009, it was designated as a municipal-level cultural heritage site by the Yixing Municipal People’s Government.

Qian Songyan (1899–1985), a native of Yangxiang Town, Yixing, used the pen name Master Qilu. He was a renowned traditional Chinese painter in China, particularly famous for his landscape paintings. He was also skilled in poetry and calligraphy, often combining the two art forms. He held multiple solo exhibitions and exhibited his works in countries such as Japan, Australia, and Canada, receiving praise from experts both in China and abroad. He published several collections of his artworks and left behind an art theory book titled Notes from the Inkstone Edge. Qian Songyan was born into a family with a seven-generation lineage of scholars in Hushu Village (now Huangjia Village), Yangxiang Town.

The ancestral home was originally grand but was destroyed during the military conflicts of the Xianfeng era in the Qing Dynasty. The current structure was rebuilt by his grandfather on the original site. The former residence of Qian Songyan was built in the late Qing Dynasty, facing south (slightly southwest, 22°), and consists of a single-story complex with two levels, where the second floor is relatively low. There are three gateways on both the north and south sides. Originally, the building had eight bays in width; the eastern two were where Qian Songyan lived, but they have since been demolished. The total width now spans six bays, or 19.70 meters, with a depth of seven rafters (8.30 meters), covering a construction area of approximately 200 square meters.

Yangxiang Town: Located in the northwest of Yixing City, Yangxiang Town sits at the junction of Yixing, Jintan, and Liyang, and is one of the emerging small towns in Wuxi. The area enjoys a mild climate, distinct seasons, fertile land, and abundant resources, making it a typical water town in the Jiangnan region. The town covers a total area of 86.42 square kilometers, has a population of 49,200, and governs 23 administrative villages and two neighborhood committees.

The industrious and simple people of Yangxiang, riding the wave of reform and opening-up, have pursued pioneering and innovative entrepreneurial spirit with the ambition to surpass others. Through diligent efforts and dedicated work, they have driven substantial economic development and social progress in the town... More detailed information about Yangxiang Town++