Travelogue Series III: Viewing Zhouyuan with a Zen Mind Amid Clouds and Water

On the first day of the second lunar month in the Year of the Rooster (a Sunday), at the invitation of a good friend, our group arrived in Lishui. The golden rooster heralded dawn, a clear early spring day, our hearts uplifted. We set out to explore Zhouyuan, and a poem can attest:

All the treasures of the world are stored in Zhouyuan.

Not to possess, but to feast the eyes.

Each treasure, each item holds a story,

So breathtaking you gaze upon them closely.

Zhouyuan is located in Baima Town, Lishui District, Nanjing. It is China's largest private collection museum, established by British-Chinese Mr. Zhou Hetong. It is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction and is reputed as 'In the north there's the Forbidden City, in the south there's Zhouyuan.' Zhouyuan is themed around Buddhist culture and Huizhou-style architecture. The buildings are in the style of the Forbidden City, covering an area of over 100 mu. Nowadays, there are countless museums worldwide, but truly representative private collections are rare. Zhouyuan houses nearly over ten thousand items collected by five generations of the Zhou family over the past century. However, according to the person in charge at Zhouyuan, this is only one quarter of the family's collection stored in various places at home and abroad. The complex consists of the Imperial Kitchen, Shangshu Study, Hundred Buddha Hall, Yangxin Hall, Shilong Hall, Taihe Zhai, Baohe Zhai, Thousand Buddha Corridor, Hundred Bed Museum, Root Carving Museum, stone carving clusters, Huizhou-style architectural groups, and more. Moreover, the overall layout is shaped like an auspicious 'ruyi' scepter, so that visitors walk as if on a ruyi, symbolizing that everything goes as one wishes. Hence, Zhouyuan is also called 'Baima Ruyi Culture and Art Center.'

Upon entering the garden, you encounter a mahogany 'King Bed' covering 30 square meters, a single-piece 'King Table' carved from a tree over 3,000 years old, a dragon-and-phoenix inkstone weighing 6.5 tons, a rare yew tea table, over 4,000 stone Buddha statues large and small, and more than 2,000 square meters of exquisite hand-painted murals. Rare treasures abound everywhere—too many to count... They will astonish your eyes...

Walking into Zhouyuan, a mountain gate with four pillars and three-eaved roofs, carved with dragons and phoenixes, stands before you. On the left side of the gate is a giant Nine-Dragon Screen Wall, with the nine sons of the dragon crouching in front. Before the gate, two stone guardian deities (Heng and Ha) stand with an air of authority that needs no anger.

The first attraction after entering is the 'Thousand Buddha Corridor,' a 318-meter-long covered walkway with niches enshrining 1,000 Buddha statues from different periods, sects, and of strikingly different styles. According to the staff, these statues come from all over China, with a few 'sourced' from overseas, costing over ten million yuan in transportation alone. Passing through the corridor, you reach an open-air plaza where many gigantic Buddha statues come into view, along with steles, statues, and pagodas from various eras. Both the scale and number amaze even the most well-traveled visitors in China.

On the left side, there are 199 standing Buddhas, symbolizing 'long-lasting' (9 is a homophone for 'long'). After walking the Buddha path, you enter the 'Thousand Buddha Corridor' scenic area. The corridor features beautiful Suzhou-style colored paintings, each telling different stories from Confucian classics and Taoist legends. These Buddhas were collected by Mr. Zhou Hetong's family from various places home and abroad. Looking down the corridor, the thousand Buddha statues and the red pillars reflect each other, creating a sacred and solemn atmosphere. Peaceful Buddhist chants surround you, and strolling along feels as if immersed in tranquility. Some Buddhas are worshipped by devout visitors who come to Zhouyuan every year on major festivals to pay homage and pray. The statues in the corridor are primarily stone Buddhas, and their carving styles indicate the dynasties: Northern Dynasty statues are rough and archaic, Tang Dynasty ones are full and dignified, while Song Dynasty ones are elegant and graceful. The Buddhas here assume various postures—some preaching, some receiving wishes of the people...

Nine-Dragon Stone Wall: moved from a folk setting, it was cut into four sections for transport.

Zhouyuan is Buddhist themed; Buddha statues are scattered everywhere. In total, there are over 4,800 stone Buddha statues, among which the 318-meter-long Thousand Buddha Corridor enshrines more than 1,300 statues of various periods, sects, and styles. Walking among them is truly awe-inspiring.

Fu Lu Shou (Fortune, Prosperity, Longevity) stone wall: 'A house full of descendants brings fortune; enjoy the happiness of family union.' Stone walls. Stone Buddha statues are placed everywhere, collected from various places; reportedly, many were gathered during the Three Gorges relocation. A reclining Buddha.

Following the fragrance, you enter the Root Carving Museum. Sculpture has a three-dimensional sense of space, different from flat painting. It can be divided into relief carving (viewed from one side) and round carving (viewed from all sides). There are about 80 large wood carvings here, among which the single-piece King Table made from a tree over 3,000 years old is astonishing. It is carved from a thousand-year-old Brazilian rosewood, with a surface as smooth as jade and clearly visible grain. Wandering in the root carving museum, the scent of camphor fills the air; many root carvings are made of camphor wood, and when you get close, you can smell a very soothing fragrance, giving a sense of peace and calm. Wood Carving & Root Carving Hall. 3,000-year-old single-log King Table. Lifelike. Nine Lions Dancing with a Brocade Ball. 108 Heroes Camphor Wood Carving. Gold-powder relief scripture carving root sculpture.

Shangshu Study: On the back wall hang couplets. The four treasures of the study, camphor wood tea table, and root-carved chairs are all eye-catching. The desk facing the door is said to be intricately carved from a thousand-year-old rosewood; paired with a banyan root chair and a camphor tea table, the whole study exudes an antique charm. Adjacent to the Imperial Kitchen is the Hundred Buddha Hall, where Mr. Zhou Hetong worships Buddha, with over a hundred Buddha statues enshrined. In the center stands a nine-tier stone pagoda, and right in front lies a longevity tortoise listening to the Buddhist teachings. A few steps further is the Yangxin Hall, a place for self-cultivation and peace of mind. This is the master's bedroom, featuring a luxurious rosewood canopy bed carved with jade dragons—sometimes baring fangs and claws, sometimes riding the clouds; a tiger skin is spread beneath the bed, displaying a regal air that draws admiration. But the most surprising thing is the inconspicuous floor tiles. The park guide said the tiles in Yangxin Hall are a type of large two-foot-square brick unique to Beijing's Forbidden City. Originally made in Suzhou and transported via the Suzhou-Hangzhou Grand Canal to the capital, these bricks were exclusive palace decorations. They are extremely hard and emit a metallic sound when struck. The crafting technique is a unique Chinese art; they are called 'breathing bricks.' One brick is worth a thousand taels of gold—literally 'a brick worth a thousand gold.'

In the study filled with the scent of ink and wood, the four treasures are priceless. On the left, a black dragon-phoenix inkstone weighs 6.5 tons, carved with 27 dragons and 2 phoenixes symbolizing harmony. The desk is also carved from a single piece of a thousand-year-old tree. Bedroom: tiger skin, a pair of jade animal statues in front of the bed. Buddhist hall: Grand Tutor chairs with furs. The brown object is the dragon-phoenix inkstone, 6.5 tons. Tree stump chairs, various artifacts.

Fuxing Gaozhao Jade (Lucky Star Shining). The jade carvings in Zhouyuan are also priceless, all carved from Xinjiang nephrite. Collecting even one piece is not easy, let alone a whole set, which shows the effort and investment of the owner, Mr. Zhou. Among them, the 18 Arhats jade carving is smooth and pure white; a single-piece nine-dragon jade carving features nine soaring dragons with majestic momentum, as if real dragons are appearing before your eyes, vividly lifelike. A pipa-playing Apsara and Hetian jade Arhats.

Leaving Yangxin Hall and climbing the steps, you reach a two-story, five-bay building with double-eaved hip-and-gable roofs, majestic and splendid. The dragon symbolizes authority and nobility; the lion is a guardian beast. Chinese people love lions and dragons. The owner of Zhouyuan, being British-Chinese, has a special fondness for 'lion-dragon,' hence the name 'Shilong Hall.' This is the owner's living room, housing countless rare treasures. When construction began, a valuable jade toad was buried in the foundation, as toads are believed to bring wealth, absorb gold, and ward off evil. The hall is filled with treasures, and a golden plaque reading 'Prosperity for Five Generations' tells us that the private collection of five generations of the Zhou family is gathered here. Inside, golden dragons coil around the red pillars, and murals on the walls and ceiling, as well as hand-painted architectural decorations and Hexi-style colored patterns, were all meticulously painted by skilled craftsmen who had worked on restoring the Forbidden City. They used only mineral pigments: green from malachite, yellow from orpiment, red from cinnabar. These can last a hundred years indoors and seventy years outdoors without fading—truly magnificent and dazzling.

In the center of Shilong Hall sits the Lion-Dragon Table, weighing 3 tons; it is the 'mother table.' The large round table made of rosewood was purchased by Mr. Zhou from a wealthy family in Tianjin, with two pots of lingzhi mushrooms placed on top. On the altar dedicated to Guanyin Bodhisattva, a clock and a vase are placed, symbolizing 'lifelong peace' (zhong for clock and ping for vase sound like 'end' and 'peace'). There are two identical treasure cabinets on display, among the most valuable items in Zhouyuan. These cabinets are made of rosewood crafted to imitate bamboo, with exquisite carvings that amaze. It is said these cabinets date from the Empress Dowager Cixi era—a phoenix on top poised to take flight, and a dragon below, symbolizing the period of the Qing Dynasty's empress dowager's dominance. The Lion-Dragon Table is the 'treasure that guards the garden.' This rosewood table features cloud and dragon patterns with inset jade, a waisted design, and three curved animal-legged feet. It measures 3.2 meters long, 1.2 meters wide, 1 meter high, and weighs 3 tons. 'It took more than twenty strong young men over two hours to set it in place,' the staff explained, and the hall was named after it. Its value lies not just in its size and weight, but in the exquisite carving and cultural significance that captivated the owner. Additionally, beneath the hall's foundation lies another house-guarding treasure—the jade toad. The architecture and displays rival even imperial grandeur.

On either side of the table crouch two qilins, mythical creatures beloved by the people, also known as 'eight-not-likes' because they combine a dragon's head, lion's eyes, deer antlers, tiger's back, bear's waist, snake scales, horse hooves, and ox tail. They are said to bring sons, blessings, and wealth. On the altar, a jade Guanyin statue sits in a semi-lotus position on a lotus throne, sacred and solemn. Its position is special: it aligns in a straight line with the pearl of the 'two dragons playing with a pearl' finial on the opposite building's roof, perfectly symmetrical, signifying dignity and purity. The jade toad, Lion-Dragon Table, and jade Guanyin are known as the 'Three House-Guarding Treasures of Zhouyuan.' The two identical treasure cabinets again: made of rosewood imitating bamboo, reflecting the ancient love for bamboo—'Better to eat without meat than live without bamboo.' From the Cixi era, they were used by young ladies of wealthy families to store jewelry.

At the right stairway entrance stands a camphor wood Guanyin statue. Its highlight is the relief-scripture carving on the upper right, coated with gold powder, making it elegant and refined. Ascending to the second floor, a wood carving of the 18 Arhats catches the eye—30% human effort, 70% natural formation. The original tree roots are preserved at the base, and the carving is exquisite, with the Arhats' beards, eyebrows, and pores clearly visible. Looking through the carvings, nearby there is an unassuming screen, but upon closer inspection, it reveals great mystery: it is carved from a single piece of jade with 101 'longevity' characters, each written differently. The larger central 'shou' character, viewed from top to bottom, seems to combine the characters for 'old,' 'young,' and 'youth.' The treasures in Shilong Hall are dazzling and eye-opening.

Jade puzzle screen and finely carved rosewood door, each panel telling a story, inlaid with 2,008 jade lions. Wooden chair inlaid with jade. This is no ordinary drum; it's a Tibetan human-skin drum. Inside Shilong Hall, frescoes on both sides of the foyer use antique pigments; each old object carries symbolic meaning, including a 'Hundred Longevity' screen.

Shilong Hall is the owner's two-story living room, filled with countless rare treasures. Buried beneath its foundation is a priceless jade toad—a three-legged auspicious creature believed to ward off evil, absorb gold, attract wealth, and dispel bad luck. This table is the companion or 'child' table to the one in the Imperial Kitchen, forming a mother-child pair.

Hundred Bed Museum: inside are over 120 antique beds—four-poster, six-poster, and many other styles, mostly made of mahogany, very well preserved, collected from various folk sources across China. The exquisite murals on the walls were painted by craftsmen who worked on the Forbidden City. The most stunning is 'The Chaoyuan Tu' (Worshipping the Primordial), also known as the 'Yongle Palace Painting.' Covering 1,000 square meters, it depicts 286 celestial deities in a grand ceremonial procession. The principal figures of the emperor, empress, and jade maidens are taller than life-size, making the scene awe-inspiring. This small room is actually a bed, known as the king of beds. It was specially made for the last emperor, Puyi, when he was in distress in Tianjin by a local furniture factory. The bed is 6 meters long, 5 meters wide, and 2.8 meters high, covering 30 square meters. Its body features carved beams and painted rafters, with dragon heads stretching. Someone once offered 80 million yuan to buy it, but now its value is incalculable.

Large bed chamber with hanging flower pillar canopy bed. Lecture hall with Tibetan Buddhist items, resplendent. The emperor's throne chair. Zhouyuan's conference room is also extremely dignified and majestic. This solid wood long table and chairs that require four people to lift amaze everyone.

Zodiac stone pillars, quite cute! After touring the cultural and art exhibition area, passing through a long corridor, you arrive at the quadrangle-style Huizhou Culture Experience Center. According to the park guide, Mr. Zhou Hetong collected over 40 Huizhou-style buildings from the Anhui-Jiangxi area. He bought entire houses, then dismantled them piece by piece—wood, stone, bricks, tiles—and transported them to Zhouyuan in Baima Town, Lishui, where skilled craftsmen restored them. Due to limited space, only five buildings have been reassembled so far; the rest are planned for the fourth phase of Zhouyuan. These buildings are divided into official residences and merchant homes, differing in appearance and interior decoration to reflect status and style. The official residence has a roof ridge ornament shaped like an official's hat, 'mi'-shaped windows, and two stone lions guarding the entrance. Inside, a courtyard (tianjing) provides light and ventilation and symbolizes gathering wealth. Rainwater flows into the courtyard pool, then through a special drainage system into the hall behind, embodying the saying 'water from all sides returns to the central hall—fertile water doesn't flow out.' The neighboring merchant house looks even more imposing, with coin-shaped windows and more luxurious interiors, featuring uniquely carved wall patterns. Its courtyard is round above and square below, representing the round heaven and square earth, and implying that a merchant's mind should be flexible. The octagonal shape below signifies 'wealth from all directions' and being 'smooth and savvy.' Both buildings have two-entry courtyards, with front and back halls, and bedrooms on the second floor, largely preserving authentic Huizhou architectural features.

Below are the authentic relocated Huizhou buildings: merchant house with octagonal courtyard, official residence courtyard, Huizhou-style pavilion.

Spring blossoms, a trip to Lishui;

With cloud-water zen mind, I view Zhouyuan.

Myriad forms, unparalleled in the world;

Lingering, reluctant to leave, I write these lines.

Due to my shallow cultural knowledge, I've focused more on the curious aspects, just like after visiting the Potala Palace I shouted, 'So much gold!' So this travelogue only scratches the surface. If you are interested in antiques, furniture, carvings, Buddhism, etc., please don't scold me for missing the essence while being dazzled by trifles—entering a treasure mountain and returning empty-handed. If through this travelogue you come to know that there is China's largest private museum, Zhouyuan, in Nanjing, then my purpose is achieved.