Pearl Tower: A Jiangnan Garden Misunderstood by Its Name
★ Travel location: Pearl Tower in Tongli Ancient Town, Wujiang, Suzhou
I know Pearl Tower because of a Wuxi opera, also named 'The Pearl Tower'. My mother enjoys opera; though not an aficionado, she can sing a few lines from many famous excerpts. Living in Wuxi, our local opera style is Wuxi opera, and 'The Pearl Tower' is one of its most well-known works, so I've heard it more than once or twice.
In old times, there was no such thing as time travel or alternate history, so even legends were set in a specific period. The story of The Pearl Tower takes place in the 18th year of the Wanli reign under Emperor Shenzong of the Ming Dynasty. Chen Lian, a retired censor from the Western Taiwan, was celebrating his 50th birthday. Fang Qing, a young man from Xiangfu County, Kaifeng Prefecture, Henan Province, was sent by his mother to borrow money from his uncle Chen, the censor, to travel to the imperial examinations. At that time, his aunt Fang Duohua was showing off her dowry—a pearl tower—to several officials' wives. Upon learning that Fang Qing had come to borrow money, she deliberately made things difficult and spoke harshly. Fang Qing, a man of integrity, swore that he would rather freeze than wear Chen family clothes, starve than eat their food, die poor than use their silver, and never set foot in their house without an official post. As he left in anger, he met Chen Cuie, the daughter of the Chen family, in the back garden. Although her mother was snobbish, Cuie looked down on her cousin not one bit. She comforted him kindly and secretly gave him the priceless pearl tower hidden in a box. Three years later, Fang Qing came top in the imperial exams and was appointed by the emperor as a circuit inspector of seven provinces. Now a high official, he went to Xiangyang disguised as a wandering performer. His aunt, still despising the poor and fawning on the rich, mocked him again. When the truth was revealed, she was deeply remorseful and knelt to receive him with a censer on her head. Fang Qing and Chen Cuie were married, the pearl tower was brought out, and a happy ending was complete. Setting aside the fact that cousins marrying defies sound eugenics policy, what can be said is that Fang Qing, once he had risen high, still chose to pretend to be a poor scholar to tease his aunt—not exactly the mark of a broad-minded man. Yet the moral of the opera is 'Don't look down on a youth in poverty'. The kindhearted noble daughter's good deed is repaid, and she is united with her true love. The prop that runs through the entire story is, of course, the pearl tower.
This scenic area is therefore not a tower, but the residence and leisure place of Censor Chen, featuring the typical small bridges and flowing streams layout of a Jiangnan garden. The buildings were first erected in the Ming Dynasty and flourished in the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty. Legend has it that the Qianlong Emperor had Han Chinese ancestry, and this garden might be subtly linked to his origins. The 'Jiangnan Anti-bullying' episode of the TV drama *Joking About Qianlong* was filmed right here.
Passing through a narrow lane and following the signs to the end, you finally see the Pearl Tower Garden. The gate, however, bears the inscription 'Ancient Censor's Memorial Arch,' for this is the former residence of Chen Wangdao, a supervising censor of Nanjing. The Pearl Tower story was actually an artistic adaptation of the marriage of Chen Wangdao's daughter. The entire complex consists of four major groups: the Censor's Residence, the Chen Family Rear Garden, the Chen Family Memorial Archway, and the Ancestral Hall. It is considered another core attraction in Tongli, apart from the Retreat & Reflection Garden.
Entering through a not-so-imposing door, you find yourself at the Censor's Residence, specifically the ceremonial gate, which is far grander than the entrance to the scenic area. The roof is high and the vermilion hue festive.
The Tea Hall, also known as the Sedan Chair Hall, was where the master and guests alighted from their sedan chairs, and where chair bearers and attendants could rest and drink tea. In grand households of old, the tea hall was quite spacious.
Honglue Hall is the main hall of the Chen residence, used for major ceremonies and receiving honoured guests. In the central hall, vases and rock bonsai are displayed, with a painting of pine and crane—a favourite motif of classical artists. Couplets on both sides read: 'The only path to pass on family tradition is honesty; the secret to dealing with the world is nothing more than sincerity.' They spell out the Chen family motto: to be honest at heart and straightforward in character.
The arrangement at the back is also artful. Three small tables hold stones and vases; one table is empty, but for symmetry there was likely another vase. On either side are blue-and-white porcelain panels depicting 'Along the River During the Qingming Festival,' probably illustrating the local scenery and customs of Tongli.
Lanyun Hall, also called the inner parlour, is the front hall of the inner chambers, where the master lodged and received relatives and female guests. It's hard to imagine how Fang Duo’er would allow her nephew to meet her daughter in the back garden—this was clearly a contrived plot for a scholar-and-beauty romance. Normally, male guests would never have access to the rear garden, certainly not to be alone with a young lady.
Further back is a two-storey building, the main dwelling of the Chen family. The ground floor is sumptuously decorated, and visitors can rent dragon robes or phoenix gowns to play emperor or empress for a while. We had no interest in that, so we climbed the stairs to the second floor, where the Pearl Tower is displayed.
The old Chen residence, also known as Fuji Hall, was first built in the Chenghua period of the Ming Dynasty, expanded by the *jinshi* Chen Wangdao in the 14th year of the Jiajing reign, and rebuilt by the *jinshi* Chen Rui during the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty. It was probably larger in its prime; what remains are the main hall and the library, facing south. The main hall is five bays wide, 20.25 metres; the depth is seven *jie* (9.84 m), height 6.73 m, with a floor area of 199.26 square metres.
The Wenxiang Reading Tower is locally called Chen Cuie's Study, which shows that Miss Chen was truly a well-read and cultured young lady. Had she lived in the open-minded Tang Dynasty, she might have even served as a female official!
Yulan Hall is not large, but tastefully arranged. A plum blossom painting, a rockery piece, two plum vases—this is the atmosphere of a scholarly family.
Rugu Studio is a small building in the garden; Lu Hui, a famous painter of the Jiangnan region in the late Qing Dynasty, studied painting here in his early years. I wonder what connection Lu Hui had with the Chen family. The owners probably liked this spot too, as it was also called 'Rugu Sound of Reading.'
Climbing the small building, the beautiful scenery of the rear garden unfolds before your eyes. Many trees, likely decades old, grow lushly along the lake. Buildings with black tiles and white walls are tucked amidst greenery, exuding elegance and grace.
Descending, you reach Shuiliu Yunzai Pavilion, which, though small, is built by the water and very tasteful. Its name is derived from a short poem by Du Fu: 'The stream flows without contention; the clouds drift as if with lingering intent.'
In the garden, the scenery is even more delightful. Pavilions, terraces, and towers are scattered in an orderly fashion, while rockeries and streams embody the delicate charm of Jiangnan. Slanting branches reveal a corner of a white wall, their reflection in the water a mix of green and white, set against the azure sky—a scene fit for a painting.
Past Qingyuan Hall is Lüqiu Pavilion, entirely vermilion except for the black roof tiles and pillars, small and exquisite. A couplet hanging there reads: 'Does the fish know the joy of man? Is the clear spring not as pure as a clear mind?'—it's quite philosophical. In the Pearl Tower story, the scene where Chen Cuie gives the tower to Fang Qing takes place right in this pavilion. As for 'Lüqiu,' I couldn't find its source; does it mean the place remains green even in autumn?
On a rockery, a little pavilion called Lüqi stands against the wall, nestled amid lush trees and very secluded. Sitting here, you can admire the covered walkway and towers across the lake. There's another lovely name for this corner: 'Zither Melody Under the Crape Myrtle.' Miss Chen must have enjoyed playing the zither here! Perhaps Fang Qing was her soulmate, hearing the music and comprehending its subtle meaning.
Continue along the lake and you'll find Jingming Pavilion and Xiaolan Pavilion. The buildings themselves are unremarkable, but two scenic spots are hidden here: 'Peach Garden Viewing the Waterfall' and 'Deep Pines of the Northern Mountain'—the names tell you that one is a peach grove and the other a pine forest.
There is also an opera stage in the garden, exquisitely built. Besides the carved beams and painted rafters, even the roof is finely decorated, with animal sculptures on the ridge and two small human figures on each side.
Wenshao Pavilion is simply arranged, and beside the opera stage is Zhiyin Studio, named after the ancient story of Zhong Ziqi and Yu Boya, who found a true friend through the music of high mountains and flowing water. Singing opera also needs an appreciative audience; otherwise, the soft melodies would merely become lullabies, which would be a pity.
The Unmoored Boat rests quietly by the lake. Despite the pandemic, visitors didn't seem to mind crowding together, probably because the scenery here is too beautiful and enchanting. This spot has the poetic name 'Listening to the Rain on the Emerald Boat.' One imagines that on a rainy day, you could play the zither, sip tea, or place a few chess pieces, enjoying a refined pastime while listening to the rain—so leisurely and serene.
Stepping out, you see a small river with a moored boat. In old times, boats could sail in directly from the main river outside, and climb the steps to the rear garden. The Chen family certainly knew how to live comfortably.
Walking along the river, you come to the Chen Family Memorial Archway. It was built in the eighth year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty. The emperor, in recognition of Chen Wangdao's uprightness and outstanding achievements during his tenure as censor, issued an imperial edict for the arch’s construction to honour him.
Across the river lies the Ancestral Hall, a structure preserved from the late Qing period. After 1949, it served as a state grain depot and was fully restored later when the Censor Chen's Residence was renovated.
In the courtyard grow ginkgo trees, with orange rectangular banners placed on the ground. The first hall is three bays wide; its plaque, with a yellow background and black characters, reads 'Esteemed Virtue and High Reputation.'
The second hall bears a plaque 'Revere the Ancestors' in gilded characters on a black background—the very essence of ancestral hall culture. This is the main building of the hall, the Ancestor Worship Hall, but the portrait hanging in the middle is of Confucius. Perhaps the Chen family passed down the values of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, trustworthiness, gentleness, kindness, courtesy, frugality, and forbearance.
As we walked on, we found ourselves back in the rear garden and then noticed the kitchen we had inadvertently missed earlier. Of course, this kitchen is a later reconstruction; the kitchens of wealthy households are much the same, for this was not a place to showcase the owner's taste. Nevertheless, with this, our visit to the Pearl Tower Garden was complete and satisfying.
