Weng’s Former Residence (Weng Tonghe Memorial Hall)

Weng’s Former Residence (Weng Tonghe Memorial Hall)

Weng’s Former Residence (Weng Tonghe Memorial Hall) is a cultural tourism attraction.

Located in Changshu on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River Delta, China's renowned historical and cultural city, Weng’s Former Residence is a complex of ancient Ming and Qing dynasty buildings situated within the old city area at Wengjiaxiang Gate. Now serving as the Weng Tonghe Memorial Hall, the residence spans an area of 6,000 square meters, with a total floor space of around 3,000 square meters. Its architectural design follows the traditional central-axis layout of official and gentry residences in ancient China, and is divided into three main sections: east, middle, and west. The middle section, entered through the main gate, consists of seven courtyards along the central axis, including the entrance hall, sedan chair hall, Caiyi Hall, rear hall building, and Shuanggui Pavilion.

The sedan chair hall was used for resting carriages and serving tea, while the Caiyi Hall served as a venue for receiving guests and holding ceremonies such as weddings and birthday celebrations. The rear hall building and courtyard were residential spaces for the owner and his family. Flanking the central axis on both sides are “avoidance corridors” designed to prevent the spread of fire and provide separate passageways for women, children, and servants to move about when the Caiyi Hall was hosting guests. The eastern avoidance corridor leads to the eastern section of the residence, which has a side gate opening onto the alley. Inside, there is a screen wall, Yulan Pavilion, Zhizhi Studio, and a small courtyard, serving as spaces for the owner’s book collection, study, and guest reception. The western section is accessed via another avoidance corridor and also has an alley-facing gate. The layout here includes the Siyong Hall, Jinyang Study, Baigu Studio, and Ming Hall, which was once the residence of Weng Xincun’s third son, Weng Tongjue. The area features winding corridors, diverse architectural forms, ingenious layouts adapted to the terrain, and dynamic yet charming spatial arrangements. To its west once stood the scenic garden of the Sang family, “Little South Garden,” reflecting the characteristics of Ming and Qing dynasty residential architecture in the Jiangnan region—orderly yet richly varied.

Therefore, the architecture of Weng’s Former Residence not only fully showcases the traditional layout of large official and gentry residences in ancient China, centered on a longitudinal central axis with lateral expansions on both sides, but also reflects the spatial beauty of Jiangnan ancient dwellings—adapting to local conditions, innovating within symmetry, and creating lively and engaging living environments. It is a quintessential representation of the residential features of noble families in Jiangnan during the Ming and Qing periods.

In 1990, Weng Xingqing (also known as Wan Ge), a great-grandson of Weng Tonghe and an overseas Chinese from the United States, donated the residence to the state. The Changshu Municipal People’s Government then established it as the Weng Tonghe Memorial Hall. Mr. Weng Xingqing personally inscribed the plaque for “Weng’s Former Residence,” while Aisin-Gioro Pujie wrote the name of the memorial hall. On November 1, 1991, the Weng Tonghe Memorial Hall was officially inaugurated and opened to the public. In the early 21st century, the residence underwent comprehensive restoration and was fully reopened to the public in February 2002. As the “Former Residence of Prime Minister Weng,” it has become one of the new “Eighteen Scenic Spots of Yushan.”

Weng Tonghe (1830–1904), styled Shuping, also known by the pseudonyms Songchan, Junzhai, Pingsheng, Pinglu Jushi, Bingmei Jushi, and Tianfang Xianren, and in his later years as Ping’an Jushi, was a native of Changshu, Jiangsu. He was a prominent politician and calligraphic artist in modern Chinese history. He served as Minister of Revenue and Minister of Works, as well as a Grand Councilor and Minister of the Zongli Yamen (the Qing government’s office for foreign affairs). He was the tutor to both Emperor Tongzhi and Emperor Guangxu of the Qing dynasty. After his death, he was posthumously honored with the title “Wengong.”

Weng Tonghe was skilled in poetry and occasional painting, but he is especially renowned for his calligraphy. He studied the styles of Ouyang Xun and Chu Suiliang in his youth, learned from Dong Qichang and Mi Fu initially, and in his middle age turned to Yan Zhenqing through the influence of Qian Feng, though he did not confine himself to Yan’s style... More details about Weng Tonghe ++

Yushan Subdistrict: Covering an area of 62.7 square kilometers, Yushan Subdistrict in Changshu has a permanent population of 207,000, including 137,000 registered residents. The subdistrict is positioned as the core area for all-for-one tourism, integrating mountains, water, and urban landscapes.

The Jiangsu Provincial Government (Document No. Su Zheng Fu [2017] 103) and the Suzhou Municipal Government (Document No. Su Fu Fu [2017] 62) have recently issued approvals regarding the adjustment of the administrative divisions of Yushan Town, Changshu City.

… More details about Yushan Subdistrict ++