"Chaiyuan" in Vinegar Alley

In the south of the ancient city of Suzhou, there is a unique alley hidden - Vinegar Alley. The origin of this name can be traced back to the Southern Song Dynasty, when a vinegar warehouse was built here, hence the name. However, as time went by, the vinegar warehouse was moved elsewhere, and this place became known as the "Old Vinegar Warehouse". As the largest lane in the south of the inner city, Cuku Lane has always been a gathering place for officials and gentry, leaving behind many mansions and former residences of celebrities. Inside the alley, you will see No. 44 Cuku Lane, which is the Chai Garden, a classical garden in Suzhou. 1⃣️This was originally the residence of Pan Zengqi, a gentleman from Suzhou during the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty. In the middle of the Tongzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty, Chai Anpu from Shangyu, Zhejiang, first went to Tongli, Wujiang, to be in charge of the Jiangzhen Salt Court, and later settled in Suzhou. In the reign of Emperor Guangxu, he purchased the house and rebuilt and expanded it. In the ninth year of the Guangxu reign (1883), the garden was completed and was called "Chai Garden". After Chai Anpu died, his son Lianqing named the garden Jianyuan and called himself the owner of Jianyuan. But the name of Chaiyuan has been circulated among the people for a long time. 2⃣️The original layout of Chai Garden was East House and West Garden. In the front of the garden was the Yuanyang Hall, which was spacious and luxurious, and in the back was the Nanmu Hall, which was elegant and simple. The garden is arranged in four The best area is the Central Garden, with a pool and rockery, which is small and elegant. The three words "廖而曲" mean circling and moving back, with hills and valleys all formed. The land boats and waterside pavilions are exquisite and elegant, with winding corridors connecting them. The library is in the northeast, and the West Flower Hall is in the northwest. 3⃣️In November 1951, the People's Government of Suzhou South District was established, and its office was located in Chaiyuan. In 1957, Suzhou School for the Blind and Deaf moved to Chaiyuan and remained there until 2010 when it was built at a new location. During this period, the school rebuilt the bungalow in 1974 for use as a school-run factory. In 1978, in accordance with the needs of running the school, the hall on the north side of the pond was demolished and a three-story teaching building was built. After being listed as a cultural relic protection site in Suzhou, the Municipal Cultural Relics Management Committee and the Civil Affairs Bureau jointly funded the renovation of the Mandarin Duck Hall and the Boat Hall in 1985. As of 2010 when the school for the blind and deaf moved out, the remaining ancient buildings in Chaiyuan included the Yuanyang Hall, the Boat Hall, the Waterside Pavilion, the Curved Corridor, the Half Pavilion, and only the main building of the eastern residence remained. The brick-carved door in Figure 1 has a plaque with the words "Jia Men Shanxiang" inscribed by Gu Wenbin, the owner of Guoyun Tower, in the ninth year of the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty (1833). Chaiyuan Open 09:00-16:30, last admission after 16:30 Free and open Address: No. 44, Cuku Lane, Gusu District, Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province 990m walk from Exit 3 of Sanyuanfang Station on Metro Line 4