Shantang Carved Building is located at No. 250 Shantang Street, originally known as Xu’s Residence, which was the home of Xu Hedan, a famous doctor in Suzhou during the Qing Dynasty. It once served as the headquarters of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom and is acclaimed as the ‘First Residence Outside Gusu City’. Together with the Dongshan and Xishan Carved Buildings, it is known as the ‘Three Wonders of Gusu Carved Buildings’. The building is now listed as ‘Controlled and Protected Ancient Architecture’ by the Suzhou Cultural Relics Bureau.
Shantang Carved Building can be considered a veritable museum of carving art. In terms of materials used for carving, there are three major categories: brick carving, stone carving, and wood carving. Regarding the carving techniques, the building possesses four complete methods: overall carving, relief carving, hollow-out carving, and stamp carving. The craftsmen have carved the entire Kunqu Opera ‘The Peony Pavilion’ on both sides of the ancient stage, and ‘The Palace of Eternal Life’ is carved under the stage, reflecting a profound cultural connotation. The building is open all year round from 8:00 to 17:00.Shantang Carved Building
Shantang Carved Building is located at No. 250 Shantang Street, originally known as Xu’s Resid[...]
