The former residence of Xue Fucheng in Wuxi is reputed as the most prominent mansion in Jiangnan (regions south of the Yangtze River).
The residence was designed by its owner Xue Fucheng, a well-known industrialist and diplomat in the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), in 1890 before he took a post as minister in Europe.
Covering an area of 21,000 square meters, the mansion now houses more than 160 buildings, including the renowned circular building, which is the largest of its kind in China.
The mansion features both traditional Chinese and western architectural styles. For example, the walls of Wuben Hall are covered with hexagonal bricks and the rooms of the hall are separated with sliding doors, which is rare in Wuxi.
In 2005, the former residence of Xue Fucheng was rated a national 4A-level tourist attraction, with the highest level being 5A, by the China National Tourism Administration.
There is a marble boat in the backyard garden of the mansion and it has a poetic name, "Bu Xi Zhou", which can be translated to "anchorless boat".
This expresses the pursuit of freedom, which is also the spirit that the owner of mansion wants to pursue.
