This delicate courtyard is called the South Hall. It is more than four hundred yearsold. It is situated by the pond and surrounded with bamboo bushes. It was a pleasantstudy and living room of the owner of long ago..
The reliefpictures on the external wall of this hall are later addition, telling a storyof a fight between the servants and the owner, which happened in the SouthHall. It was during the late Ming Dynasty, when peasant uprisings werespreading quickly all across China.In the Jiading area, servants of rich families fought their masters for therights to their document of servitude.
The ownerwas Li Yizhi, his servants occupied his living room while he was away. Hisfamily refused to surrender the documents. The servants became violent andkilled his family. The place was also known as Disaster Hall.
The SouthHall was destroyed during the War of Resistance against Japan. What you see is the buildingafter restoration, and it is a cultural relic under state protection. Thecourtyard is secluded and simple, planted with stalagmite, pond lotus, and Chimonanthus.The flourishing bamboo bushes lend a stylish air to the courtyard. In 1976, thefamous painter Liu Haishu and his wife visited Guyi Garden,and chose this courtyard to wile away some time drinking tea.
The stonestructure standing in the front of the South Hall is a sutra pillar from the TangDynasty. It took eight years to build in 867 AD. The pillar is about 10 metershigh, with a lotus pedestal, and four Heavenly Kings crowning the top. It hasseveral segments, each separated by lotus petals. It demonstrates the skillful craftmanshipof the most prosperous period of the Tang Dynasty.
This pillar wasplaced in the front of Nanxiang Temple, and was moved to Guyi Gardenin 1959. It is a national protected relic. However, it was struck by lightningin 1988, and the top half is now lost. Fortunately we have two such pillars, theother one is undamaged and is also in this garden. You can see that one in thefront of Little Sound Attic.
North of thepillar, there is a little mount which is secluded with streams and woods surroundingit. It was used as a secretive meeting place by the Dagger Society, a rebel organizationduring the Qing Dynasty.
Pass throughthe courtyard door, and walk through the stone bridge on the west of the hall, whichis on your left. Then walk in a northerly direction, (on your right), tocontinue your tour.
