Shuihui Garden: The Story of Dong Xiaowan and Mao Xiang.

Shuihui Garden: The Story of Dong Xiaowan and Mao Xiang. Shuihui Garden Scenic Area in Rugao, Jiangsu Province, is a popular attraction. It consists of the Shuihui Garden and Shuiming Tower ancient architectural complex, the Rugao Longevity Museum (Nifenglu), Gudanyuan (home to exquisite bonsai, including an ancient cypress over 1,000 years old and a Japanese five-needle pine bonsai from the same period as the one in the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall in Beijing), Yiyuan Garden, and the East Street historical and cultural district. The Shuihui Garden management emphasizes the love story between Mao Xiang (also known as Bijiang), one of the "Four Princes" of the late Ming Dynasty, and Dong Xiaowan, a courtesan from the "Eight Beauties of Qinhuai," to enhance visitors' understanding of the area. Shuihui Garden was originally built by Mao Yiguan (of Mongolian descent, an uncle of Mao Xiang's ancestor) during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty. In 1623, Mao Xiang's grandfather, Mao Mengling, resigned from office and returned to his hometown, building Yiyuan Garden southeast of Shuihui Garden. It was later passed down to Mao Xiang, who renovated and embellished it, creating more than ten scenic spots within the garden. In 1642, Dong Xiaowan, a courtesan from Qinhuai, became Mao Xiang's concubine and entered Shuihui Garden the following year. She died eight years later at the age of 28. During the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, the Mao family of Rugao fell into decline and lost Shuihui Garden. Since then, the garden has undergone many changes. In 1758, Wang Zhiheng, a gentry from Rugao, built Shuiming Tower west of Xibao Pond in admiration of Mao Xiang. In 1796, the Mao clan redeemed the remnants of Shuihui Garden and turned it into a family ancestral hall. In 1915, the Republic of China government built Rugao Park around the former site of Shuihui Garden. After the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, it was renamed Rugao People's Park. In 1980, the historical sites surrounding Shuihui Garden, such as Shuiming Tower and Yinyuzhai, were renovated and opened to the public. In the autumn of 1991, the reconstruction of Shuihui Garden began, led by Professor Chen Congzhou from Tongji University in Shanghai. The reconstruction was completed in the autumn of 1994.