Visiting the Fan Zhongyan Memorial Hall in Huishan Ancient Town: A Tribute to a Scholar’s Compassion

#discoverchina #wuxi Nestled in the heart of Huishan Ancient Town, the Fan Zhongyan Memorial Hall stands solemnly across from the Daxin Bookstore on the old street. Its traditional wooden entrance is adorned with a grand red plaque framed in golden auspicious motifs, boldly inscribed with five golden characters:Memorial Hall of Lord Fan Wenzhen.Flanking the plaque are deep-red palace lanterns and crimson hanging lamps, while below, a high threshold and two white marble drum stones carved with mythical beasts exude dignified reverence. Stepping inside, a white introductory plaque detailing Fan Zhongyan’s life greets visitors, alongside towering stone tablets chronicling the hall’s construction and restorations. A pathway leads to the main shrine—a timeless brick-and-wood structure crowned with a black-and-white plaque reading Dunxu Hall.Its five-paneled lattice doors are flanked by wooden columns inscribed with a couplet. Within the hall, a striking half-length portrait of Fan Zhongyan commands attention—dressed in official robes and holding a ceremonial tablet, his expression embodies the solemnity of court duty. Standing there, one cannot help but feel the enduring spirit of a man who championed 先天下之忧而忧，后天下之乐而乐(To worry before the world worries, to rejoice after the world rejoices),a timeless call to selfless service. Entrance ticket: Free