Xishan Carved Building is located in Tangli Village, Xishan Town. In ancient times, most of the transportation in Jiangnan relied on waterways, and Tangli was a well-connected ‘living water’ dock. The original name of Xishan Carved Building was ‘Ren Ben Tang’, which means ‘benevolence as the foundation and propriety as the basis of education’. The building covers an area of about 3 acres and once had a layout of five sections, seven courtyards, and seven sky wells, originally built during the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, making it a prominent family in Xishan.
The Carved Building was gradually constructed by the descendants of the Xu family over four dynasties: Kangxi, Qianlong, Xianfeng, and Daoguang, by continuously adding bricks and tiles. A significant reason for the building’s preservation to this day is its unparalleled carvings. Upon entering the building, one is greeted by exquisite carvings. The beams, lintels, and long windows are adorned with beautiful wood carvings; the gate towers and walls are made of solemn and heavy brick carvings. In addition, there are over 3,000 carvings, ranging from large brick carving plaques to small wood carving windows, depicting flowers, birds, fish, insects, or dramatic stories, all unique.
It is very regrettable that many were destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. Mr. Shi Shuqing, a cultural relic appraiser and historian, once said: ‘It is not an ordinary civilian residence, it has a royal aura.’ The opening hours are from 08:30 to 16:30 all year round.
Complementary policy additional information: 1. Free policy: Children with a height of 1.4 meters (including 1.4 meters) are free of charge. 2. The above information is for reference only, and the specific details are subject to the public notice at the scenic spot. 3. Preferential policies: Children under 6 years old (excluding 6 years old) and over 1.4 meters (excluding 1.4 meters) in height can purchase preferential tickets; seniors over 60 years old (excluding 60 years old) can purchase preferential tickets with valid identification; full-time undergraduate and below students can purchase preferential tickets.
Xishan Carved Building
Xishan Carved Building is located in Tangli Village, Xishan Town. In ancient times, most of the tran[...]
