MUDU ANCIENT TOWN
Ancient Town
In the year 491 BC,
Ancient Town
In the twenty-ninth year of King Jing’s reign in the Zhou Dynasty (491 BC), King Fuchai of Wu built the Wa Palace for Xi Shi at Lingyan Mountain. Thousands of skilled craftsmen from all over the country and local vendors gathered at the foot of Lingyan Mountain, gradually forming an ancient street market called Shantang Street. King Fuchai received tribute of divine wood from the Yue state, and he expanded the Gusu Terrace. The wood that came from upstream had blocked the river port at the foot of the mountain for three years, from which Mudu (wood-blocked port) town got its name.
In the year 210 BC,
Ancient Town
In the thirty-seventh year of Emperor Qin Shihuang’s reign (210 BC), Emperor Qin Shihuang traveled to the Wu region, stayed in Mudu, and visited the surrounding famous mountains and ancient towns. In the east of Wufeng Mountain, there is a large stone carving with the words “Qin Terrace,” which is said to be the place where Emperor Qin Shihuang visited during his eastern expedition.
In the year 154 BC,
Ancient Town
During the reign of Emperor Jing of the Han Dynasty (154 BC), Zhu Maichen, who was already in his forties and still impoverished, lived in a small thatched cottage on the western side of Mudu town which is near a mountain. He would go up the mountain every day to chop firewood and sell it in Mudu town to support himself. He never forgot to read and study and would hide his books among the firewood to avoid ridicule. Finally, at the age of fifty, during the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, he was appointed as a middle-ranking official and gradually rose through the ranks to become the Governor of Kuaiji and the Chief Feudatory Officer, ranking among the nine ministers. The place where he lived was also named “Cangshu” (meaning “hidden books”).
In the year 470 AD,
Ancient Town
In the sixth year of Emperor Ming of the Southern and Northern Dynasties (470 AD), Luwan, the Minister of Public Works, built a house at Lingyan Mountain as his private property, devoted himself to Buddhism, and converted his residence into a temple. In the fifteenth year of the Tianjian period of the Liang Dynasty (516 AD), the eminent monk Zhi Ji from the Western Regions came to Lingyan Mountain Temple, and the temple was given the name “Zhi Ji Bodhisattva Manifestation Dharma Realm”.
In the year 736 AD,
Ancient Town
In the third year of the Qingtai period of the Later Tang Dynasty (736 AD), Mingyue Temple was first built in Shantang Street.
In the year 825 AD,
Ancient Town
In the first year of the Baoli period of the Tang Dynasty (825 AD), Bai Juyi served as the Governor of Suzhou and traveled to the ancient town of Mudu and the surrounding famous mountains. On Tianping Mountain, he left behind a famous poem that says, “On Tianping Mountain, there is a White Cloud Spring. The clouds are originally without intention, and the water is naturally serene. Why does it rush down the mountain? It only adds ripples to the world”.
In the year 1044 AD,
Ancient Town
During the fourth year of the Qingli period of the Song Dynasty (1044 AD), Fan Zhongyan, due to the location of his ancestors’ tombs, requested to change “Baiyun An” on Tianping Mountain to the “Gongde Xianghuo Yuan” (the Monastery of Virtuous Deeds and Fragrant Offerings) of the Fan family. Tianping Mountain was renamed “Ci Shan” and became known as the “Fan Tomb Mountain”. Two years later, for the reconstruction of Yueyang Tower, Fan Zhongyan wrote a famous line, “First worry about the country’s troubles, and later enjoy the country’s happiness” which has become a famous saying for generations.
In the year 1052 AD,
Ancient Town
During the fourth year of the Huangyou period of the Song Dynasty (1052 AD), the first skew bridge was built at the eastern end of Shantang Street. The clear water of Xiangxi and the muddy water of Xujiang River converge under the bridge, creating one of the ten scenic spots of the ancient town, known as “Skew Bridge Dividing Waters”.
In the year 1177 AD,
Ancient Town
During the fourth year of the Chunxi period of the Song Dynasty (1177 AD), the Han Qi King’s tomb stele was erected at the foot of Lingyan Mountain, and Emperor Xiaozong inscribed the title “Monument to the Meritorious Statesmen for Assisting in the Revival and Establishing the Nation”. The stele is over ten meters high, with a text length of over 13,000 characters, and is known as the “Number One Stele in the World”.
In the year 1194 AD,
Ancient Town
During the fifth year of the Shaoxi period of the Song Dynasty (1194 AD), the skilled artist Yuan Yuchang in Mudu specialized in clay sculpture. His sculptures were lifelike and gained great fame. People of that time called him the “Number One in the World”.
In the year 1328 AD,
Ancient Town
During the first year of the Tianli period of the Yuan Dynasty (1328 AD), the renowned craftsman Zhu Bishan opened a silver workshop in the ancient town, skilled in making gold and silver works. The four most famous silver raft cups passed down to this day were considered the finest craftsmanship and were known as the “Divine Works”.
In the year 1497 AD,
Ancient Town
During the tenth year of the Hongzhi period of the Ming Dynasty (1497 AD), the Jinshi scholar Fu Chao built Wangjia Bridge in front of Wangjia Village in Shantang Street, also known as Yong’an Bridge. The stone bridge spans Xiangxi River, with hanging vines and a simple and towering structure.
In the year 1555 AD,
Ancient Town
During the thirty-fourth year of the Jiaqing period of the Ming Dynasty (1555 AD), the Deputy Military Commissioner Ren Huan led troops to resist Japanese pirates in Mudu and eventually wiped them out. In the thirty-sixth year of the Jiaqing period (1557 AD), the Inspector General Shang Weichi built an enemy tower in the east of Mudu town.
In the year 1610 AD,
Ancient Town
During the thirty-eighth year of the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty (1610 AD), the seventeenth-generation descendant of Fan Zhongyan, Fan Yunlin, abandoned his official position in Fujian and returned to Wu, bringing back 380 maple trees. He planted them in front of Tianping Mountain, which has now become one of the four major maple viewing spots in China during autumn.
In the year 1684 AD,
Ancient Town
During the winter of the twenty-third year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1684 AD), on the twenty-sixth day of Lunar October, Emperor Kangxi conducted his first southern inspection tour and stayed in Suzhou. He visited Lingyan Mountain in Mudu and ordered the construction of a palace on the site of Guanwa Palace.
In the year 1689 AD,
Ancient Town
During the twenty-eighth year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1689 AD), the imperial palace at the summit of Lingyan Mountain was completed. In the second lunar month, Emperor Kangxi embarked on his second southern inspection tour to Mudu and stayed at the Lingyan Mountain imperial palace.
In the year 1704 AD,
Ancient Town
During the forty-third year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1704 AD), a resident of Mudu named Yin Xinyi constructed a well and a pavilion in memory of his deceased friend Feng Yiquan in Yinjia Lane of the ancient town. He named the pavilion Yiquan Pavilion in honor of his friend.
In the year 1705 AD,
Ancient Town
During the forty-fourth year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1705 AD), on the seventeenth day of Lunar March, Emperor Kangxi conducted his fifth southern inspection tour to Mudu and stayed at the Lingyan Mountain imperial palace.
In the year 1707 AD,
Ancient Town
During the forty-sixth year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1707 AD), on the sixteenth day of Lunar March, Emperor Kangxi conducted his sixth southern inspection tour to Mudu and stayed at the Lingyan Mountain imperial palace.
In the year 1728 AD,
Ancient Town
During the sixth year of the Yongzheng reign of the Qing Dynasty (1728 AD), a famous scholar named Shen Deqian from the Jiangnan region relocated from Fengmen in Suzhou to Shantang Street in Mudu. He selected a site north of Wangjia Bridge, facing Xiangxi River, and backed by Lingyan Mountain. He constructed a garden there, filled with bamboo, and named it “Zhuxiao Xuan” (The Pavilion of Bamboo Serenade).
In the year 1745 AD,
Ancient Town
During the approximate period of the tenth year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (around 1745 AD), a literati named Xu Shiyuan in Mudu purchased Wang Xinyi’s Xiuye Garden from the Ming Dynasty in Shantang Street of Mudu. He added a double-story grand theater to the east of the garden and named it the “Hongyin Shanfang Domain” (Hongyin Mountain Villa).
In the year 1751 AD,
Ancient Town
During the sixteenth year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1751 AD), on the twenty-first day of Lunar February, Emperor Qianlong conducted his first southern inspection tour to Suzhou and stayed at the Mudu Lingyan Mountain imperial palace. On the eighteenth day of Lunar March, he returned to Mudu and visited the shrine of Fan Zhongyan, a loyal minister of the Song Dynasty. He granted the garden the name “Gao Yi”.
In the year 1757 AD,
Ancient Town
During the twenty-second year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1757 AD), on the twenty-first day of Lunar February, Emperor Qianlong embarked on his second southern inspection tour to Mudu and visited the Gao Yi Garden, dedicated to the loyal minister Fan Zhongyan. On the ninth day of Lunar March, he returned to Suzhou and stayed at the Lingyan Mountain imperial palace at the request of the Empress Dowager.
In the year 1759 AD,
Ancient Town
During the twenty-fourth year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1759 AD), the painter Xu Yang created the “Prosperous Times and Abundant Life Painting”, also known as “Gusu Prosperity Painting”.
In the year 1762 AD,
Ancient Town
During the twenty-seventh year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1762 AD), on the first day of Lunar February, Emperor Qianlong conducted his third southern inspection tour to Mudu and stayed at the Lingyan Mountain imperial palace at the request of the Empress Dowager.
In the year 1765 AD,
Ancient Town
During the thirtieth year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1765 AD), on the first day of leap February, Emperor Qianlong conducted his fourth southern inspection tour to Mudu and stayed at the Lingyan Mountain imperial palace at the request of the Empress Dowager.
In the year 1780 AD,
Ancient Town
During the forty-fifth year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1780 AD), on the first day of Lunar March, Emperor Qianlong conducted his fifth southern inspection tour to Mudu and stayed at the Lingyan Mountain imperial palace.
In the year 1781 AD,
Ancient Town
During the forty-sixth year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1781 AD), the establishment of “Fei Cui Tai” (Jujube Paste Sesame Cake) took place in Mudu. In 1881, it was renamed “Qian Sheng Yuan,” and its jujube paste sesame cakes became famous far and wide.
In the year 1784 AD,
Ancient Town
During the forty-ninth year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1784 AD), on the first day of Lunar March, Emperor Qianlong conducted his sixth southern inspection tour to Mudu and stayed at the Lingyan Mountain imperial palace. On the twenty-ninth day, he returned to Suzhou and stayed again at the Lingyan Mountain imperial palace.
In the year 1828 AD,
Ancient Town
During the eighth year of the Daoguang reign of the Qing Dynasty (1828 AD), the poet Qian Zhao purchased the old residence of Zhuxiao Xuan. He renovated the garden and added several scenic spots, including the “Tiaonong Tower” and the “Yanqing Pavilion”. In the next year, on the sixteenth day of Lunar March, the garden was officially named “Duan Yuan” after Qian Zhao’s courtesy name, Duanxi.
In the year 1862 AD,
Ancient Town
During the first year of the Tongzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1862 AD), Feng Guifen, who was in his fifties, settled in Mudu during his later years. He built a residence by the Xiatang Street of Xujiang River in the ancient town and focused on compiling local histories. The local people referred to Feng’s residence as the “Bangyan Mansion” out of habit.
In the year 1902 AD,
Ancient Town
During the twenty-eighth year of the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty (1902 AD), Yan Guoxin, the wealthiest person in Mudu, purchased “Duan Yuan” and hired the renowned craftsman Yao Chengzu from Xiangshan Gang to lead a team of skilled workers for renovation. While preserving the original architecture, they designed a four-season garden layout, symbolizing the transmission of good Feng Shui from generation to generation. The garden was renamed “Xian Yuan”, commonly known as the “Yan’s Garden” among the locals.
In the year 1904 AD,
Ancient Town
During the thirtieth year of the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty (1904 AD), on the occasion of Empress Dowager Cixi’s seventieth birthday, Shen Shou, an embroiderer from Mudu, presented exquisite embroidered works titled “Eight Immortals Celebrating Longevity” and “Infinite Longevity and Happiness,” stunning the entire dynasty. Subsequently, many outstanding embroidered artworks received international awards, becoming “treasures of world art”.
In the year 1920 AD,
Ancient Town
During the early years of the Republic of China (around 1920), Cai Shaoyu, a wealthy businessman from late Qing Dynasty in Mudu, specially commissioned the renowned carving artist Zhao Zikang from Fenghuang Village in Mudu Town to build a garden residence near Lufei Bridge in Shantang Street. The garden was named “Ancient Pine Garden” because it contained a surviving Ming Dynasty Araucaria tree, known as the “Ancient Pine Garden” by the locals.
In the year 1990 AD,
Ancient Town
In June 1990, Mudu Tourism Industrial Company was formally established.
In the year 1998 AD,
Ancient Town
In 1998, the Bangyan Mansion underwent restoration by Xiangshan Ancient Architecture Company and was opened to the public in March 1999.
In the year 1998 AD,
Ancient Town
In 1998, the Ancient Pine Garden underwent restoration by Xiangshan Ancient Architecture Company and was opened to the public in March 1999.
In the year 2000 AD,
Ancient Town
In 2000, the restoration of the Yan’s Garden commenced, and it was opened to the public in 2001.
In the year 2001 AD,
Ancient Town
In November 2001, the restoration of Hongyin Shanfang Domain began, and it was opened to the public in October 2002.