[2025 Wuxi Attraction] Travel Guide for Xue Fucheng Former Residence in Wuxi (Updated Jan)

Xue Fucheng's Former Residence: Located at No. 152 Xueqian Street, Liangxi District, Wuxi City, it was built in the 20th year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty (1894). It is the large official residence of Xue Fucheng, a famous thinker and diplomat from Wuxi. The residence is large in scale and is known as the "No. 1 Mansion in Jiangnan." The entire residence is divided into three axes: the central, east, and west axes. The central axis consists of the gate hall, sedan hall, main hall, back hall, revolving building, and back garden. The east axis consists of the western-style billiard room, Xuecang Hall, Dui Zhao Hall, Loquat Garden, Yin Feng Xuan, and theater. The west axis consists of the Buddhist hall, Sutra Transmission Building, miscellaneous rooms, and west garden. The overall architecture follows the style of the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty, with exquisite carvings and decorations.

Walking out of the narrow alley of the Qian's old house, you will see the magnificent Jiangnan mansion, the "Imperial History Mansion" bestowed by the emperor, and Xue Fucheng's former residence. Born into a family of officials, he abandoned the eight-legged essay and studied practical knowledge in troubled times. He served in Zeng Guofan's mansion for seven years and was known as one of Zeng's four disciples; later, he served in Li Hongzhang's mansion for more than ten years, helping Li to quell the Korean civil strife and establish the Beiyang Fleet; he led the army to victory in the Sino-French War in Zhejiang and Fujian, and served as the minister to the four countries of Britain and France after Guo Songtao and Zeng Jize, establishing the status of Burma in diplomacy, consolidating the peace of the southwest border of the Qing Dynasty, and died young at the age of 57... Climbing high can make a great doctor, Only the world has merit to the descendants. This scene of clear water and trees in front of the hall attracted many scholars from Tsinghua University to come and visit. ... After a big circle, I found an interesting question: the descendants of the Xue family have all lived overseas, and the fruits and gray tiles and white walls complement each other...

The Former Residence of Xue Fucheng, also known as "Qinshi Di," is located at No. 152 Xueqian Street, Liangxi District, Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province. It was first built in 1890 (the 16th year of Emperor Guangxu's reign in the Qing Dynasty) and completed in 1894 (the 20th year of Guangxu's reign). It is reputed as "the first luxury residence in Jiangnan," and the old residents of Wuxi habitually call it "Xue Family Garden." The Former Residence of Xue Fucheng is grand in scale, covering an area of over 21,000 square meters with a building area of 5,600 square meters. More than 160 rooms of the original buildings are preserved. The architecture is divided into three routes: central, east, and west. The central route, from south to north, includes the screen wall, entrance hall, main hall, living hall, revolving building, and back garden; the east route includes the flower hall, stage, warehouse hall, and granary; the west route includes the side hall, miscellaneous rooms, and library. Among them, the central axis has four front courtyards with nine bays, and the inner courtyard revolving building has eleven bays. The architectural style is a blend of Chinese and Western elements. It is the largest existing revolving building in China, known as "the first revolving building in China," filling a gap in the history of modern Chinese architecture. The entire architectural complex is majestic and distinctive, reflecting the characteristics of the late Qing Dynasty when Western influences began to penetrate the East. In 2001, the Former Residence of Xue Fucheng was designated as a national key cultural relic protection unit by the State Council. Xue Fucheng (1838—1894), courtesy name Shuyun, sobriquet Yong'an, was a native of Wuxi, Jiangsu. He was a famous thinker, diplomat, one of the main leaders of the Self-Strengthening Movement, and a pioneer of capitalist industry and commerce in modern Chinese history. Former Residence of Xue Fucheng in Wuxi"

I never expected that this mansion, known as the 'Number One Luxury House in the South of the Yangtze River' and called 'Half of Xue's City,' would have so few visitors during the National Day holiday. I didn't even want to leave after strolling around Wuxi, the 'Pearl of Taihu Lake,' is blessed with outstanding natural beauty and has produced generations of talented individuals. Among the patriotic scholars and capable people of past generations, Xue Fucheng was exceptionally distinguished. Xue Fucheng (1838-1894), styled Shuyun and also known as Yong'an, was one of China's renowned modern thinkers, diplomats, and early representatives of the reformist faction. He was diligent and pragmatic throughout his life, deeply concerned about his country and its people; he advocated learning from the West and establishing the nation on industry and commerce; he promoted reform and change, and strongly pushed for 'constitutional monarchy.' His thoughts and actions played a significant role in the modernization of Chinese society and the rise of national industry and commerce. 'Though my body perishes, my spirit remains; my fervent heart shines as bright as the daylight.' This verse was written by Xue Fucheng when he was organizing defenses in Eastern Zhejiang, in memory of the five thousand soldiers who died in the Opium War in Zhoushan. Likewise, this verse is a true reflection of his own glorious life.

Wuxi's fourth stop, the former residence of Xue Fucheng, a key national cultural relics protection unit. A large-scale Qing Dynasty official residence in the south of the Yangtze River, known as the first mansion in the south of the Yangtze River. Xue Fucheng began to build this mansion when he was a third-rank official. According to the Qing Dynasty regulations, his residence hall could not exceed five rooms wide, but the sedan hall of Xue's house had nine rooms, and the revolving building reached eleven rooms. For this reason, when Xue's family built the mansion, they adopted a unique method of dividing the nine rooms into three independent three-room sections with double-row pillars, and the main hall was separated by a carefully crafted hexagonal honeycomb brick thin wall and western-style sliding doors. This practice is unique in the country. As one of the famous people's former residences, residences, and memorial halls in the old city of Wuxi, the former residence of Xue Fucheng is the only place that charges admission fees. It is a 4A scenic spot, but the service and protection consciousness are the worst. The garbage generated by activities is piled up at will, and the connected electrical wires and circuits are randomly connected. The planning of the old city of Wuxi is not very good, and the surroundings of a pile of national treasures are skyscrapers. In the lens, the background of the charming Chinese classical architecture is full of towering steel and concrete high-rise buildings, which feels extremely abrupt and discordant.