Qiushu Li is the villa of Liu Chenggan. The Jiayetang Library is his place. Nowadays, Qiushu Li displays his works photography exhibition. Liu Chenggan is the third generation of the richest in Nanxun, the top of the ‘Four Elephants’ in the late Qing Dynasty. This rich man has been indifferent to money and official career all his life. In his later years, his family has declined. He is calm and content about this and indulges in his own small world, not caring about what happens outside.
He always feels guilty about his family business in his heart, so he calls himself ‘Qiushu Jushi’. Liu Chenggan named his book collection place in Shanghai as ‘Qiushu Zhai’, and his villa in Nanxun is ‘Qiushu Li’. Qiushu Li is another building combining Chinese and Western styles in Nanxun. Entering the door is a long corridor similar to Shanghai alleys. In the middle stands a Western-style gate tower with the four characters ‘Zhexi Xiaoyin’ on it. On the top of the gate tower are several animals that look like golden toads. It is said that this is the trademark of the Liu family’s silk business. At the end of the corridor is the Qiushu Li villa located in the garden. The first floor of the villa is the living room. There are inscriptions by Wu Changshuo, one of the ‘Four Masters of Shanghai School in the late Qing Dynasty’. The central hall is a picture of Li Bai singing while drinking, which implicitly shows the owner’s determination not to seek wealth and profit and his confidence that ‘everyone is born useful’. The second floor is the owner’s bedroom. The south-facing window has a very good view. You can see the scenery in the garden nearby and look far to see the Xiaolianzhuang of the Liu family and Liu Chenggan’s own library. There is a very inconspicuous secret attic on the upper floor of the second floor. When you go, don’t forget to look for it carefully! The specific business hours and status are subject to the opening situation on that day.Qiushu Li
Qiushu Li is the villa of Liu Chenggan. The Jiayetang Library is his place. Nowadays, Qiushu Li displays his works […]
