The former residence of the Weng family was built in the Chenghua and Hongzhi periods of the Ming Dynasty. It is an official and gentry residence with typical Jiangnan architectural style. Originally, it was purchased by the father of Weng Tonghe as a place to support his mother filially. It is named Caiyitang, taking the meaning of Laolaizi dressing in colorful clothes to entertain his parents in the Twenty-four Filial Exemplars.
The former residence includes Caiyitang, the sedan hall, Yulan Pavilion, Zhizhi Studio, the back hall building, Shuanggui Pavilion, Jinyang Study, Siyong Hall, Baigu Pavilion, etc. Its main hall, ‘Caiyitang’, has a well-preserved Ming Dynasty hall in the Jiangnan region. It integrates carving, sculpture, and painting. It is rich in content and has high artistic value. There are also exhibitions on the life story of Weng Tonghe and the calligraphy of the Weng family in the museum.Opening hours: Open from 08:30 to 16:00 all year round.
