Former Residence of Feng Daoli

　　The former residence of Feng Daoli is located at No. 2 Beitang Lane, Shinian Town, Dongtai City. This is a residential building constructed during the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty. It has a brick-and-wood structure, with the main gate facing south, a three-bay central hall, lattice windows and doors, exuding an air of simplicity and elegance. Covering a land area of 624 square meters and a construction area of 19.9 square meters, it served as the birthplace and long-term residence of the Feng family. In 1993 and 1995, the Dongtai Municipal People's Government allocated special funds for its restoration on two occasions.

　　Feng Daoli, styled Wutang and also known as Xiyuan, was born in the 47th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1782 AD) and passed away in the 10th year of the Xianfeng reign (1860 AD), living to the age of 78. The area of Shinian was particularly low-lying. When floods suddenly struck, farmland and houses were submerged, and the local people suffered greatly from water disasters. Therefore, in his youth, Feng Daoli gave up the pursuit of an official career and devoted himself to studying hydraulic engineering, determined to benefit his hometown. He humbly studied previous works on water management, while also emphasizing practical experience. He chartered boats multiple times to conduct on-site surveys along the Yangtze River, Huai River, old course of the Yellow River, Baima Lake, Gaobao Lake, Hongze Lake, as well as the vast coastal areas east of the Fan Gong Embankment. He interviewed local farmers and fishermen, consulted hydrology and water conservancy materials, and drew hundreds of hydraulic diagrams. On one occasion, he spent three years conducting field investigations without returning home. The locals praised him for having the "spirit of Yu the Great." Feng Daoli had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and produced a large body of work throughout his life. Six of his works were published in print, and 36 were woodblock printed. His monographs on hydraulic engineering include “Illustrated Discussion on Water Conservancy in the Huai and Yangtze Regions,” “Treatise on Water Control in the Huai and Yangtze Regions,” “Foolish Words on Measuring the Sea,” “Diary of Coastal Surveys,” “Brief Words on Channel Confinement,” “Complete Map of Water Conservancy in Seven Prefectures,” “Map of the Eastern Ocean Estuary,” “Map of the Eastern Ocean Inlet,” and “Eight Methods for Sand Attack,” among others. “Illustrated Discussion on Water Conservancy in the Huai and Yangtze Regions” contains seven maps and systematically proposes specific solutions to completely eliminate water hazards in the Li-Xia River region of northern Jiangsu, putting forward many scientific ideas. Particularly notable is “Foolish Words on Measuring the Sea,” which is divided into fifty-two sections, followed by the “Eight Methods for Sand Attack.” It encapsulates decades of flood control experience and is highly practical.

　　Feng Daoli’s tomb is situated on a vacant lot west of the Shinian Town Construction Company, enclosed by brick walls on all sides, ensuring good protection. During the Cultural Revolution, this tomb nearly met with disaster, but thanks to the protection by local farmers, the expert who dedicated his life to building water conservancy projects for the people was not left exposed in the fields. In 1995, with approval from the Jiangsu Provincial People’s Government, the former residence of Feng Daoli (including the Wuben Hall Fire Brigade Association) was designated as a provincial-level cultural relic protection unit.

　　

　　Feng Daoli (1782~1860)　　Feng Daoli, styled Wutang and also known as Xiyuan, was a native of Shinian Town, Dongtai City, Jiangsu Province. Born in the 47th year of the Qianlong reign and died in the 10th year of the Xianfeng reign (1782–1860), he lived to be 79 years old. The Huai-Yang region is an alluvial plain, and whenever the Huai River flooded, rivers and lakes overflowed, turning everything into a vast expanse of water. The tragic scenes of the water town people suffering from floods left a deep impression on the young Feng Daoli. Intelligent and studious from childhood, he read extensively and harbored great ambitions to become a hydraulic engineer like Li Bing and Guo Shoujing, serving his hometown and contributing to the nation. He read many works related to water conservancy and studied the successes and failures of earlier experts in the field. For example, during the Ming Dynasty’s efforts to control the Yellow River... Details+