On April 18th, there was a slight drizzle. At the Yangxian Lakeside of Hufu Town, Yixing City, clouds were rolling, mountains were dense, like a landscape painting...

Photograph of Yada Yangxian Xishan

Mr. Zhu Xuedong, the writer and senior media professional, gave a lecture on the topic “Travel Thousands of Miles a Lifetime, Read Rolls of Books describing Jiangnan”. Mr. Zhu Xuedong served as the chief editor of China Week & Southern Reviews and was the author of Old News Archive of Jiangnan, Golden Sky and Mr. Zhu’s Causerie. As the original country folk of Wujin, he has deep feelings for Jiangnan Culture.

Yixing is located at the west bank of Taihu Lake, belonging to Changzhou in ancient and famous for outstanding people & beautiful landscape. Song Dynasty literary writer Mr. Su Dongpo came to Yixing many times and wrote many poems about Yixing, even wanted to buy a house here for his aged time.

The Project Yangxian Xishan is also named after Mr. Su Dongpo’s poem. There is a couplet at Yada Academy, written by Mr. Yang Kui, Famous Writer and Co-founder of Yada Academy. The content is: poetry & painting are my interests rather than mediocrity, Yangxian Xishan is my home of heart. Lyre-playing, chess, calligraphy, painting, landscape and pastoral are the life pursued by literati in past dynasties. In their view, the landscape of nature is the deposit of talent and soul.

Photograph of Yada Academy

According to relevant records, around 1074 AD, Mr. Su Dongpo came to Yixing invited by Jinshi Mr. Jiang Zhiqi and Mr. Shan Xi. Su Dongpo was impressed by the talent of Shan Xi and gave permission to his sister’s daughter marrying Shanxi. In Hufu Town, there is still a single alley named Shan Xiang.

Photograph of Yada Yangxian Xishan

Talking about the reason why Mr. Su Dongpo wanted to live in Yangxian when he retired, Famous Writer Mr. Ye Zhaoyan shared his point of view at the 2nd Yada Academy Lecture & Talk. He believes that, first, Yixing is a land of fish and rice, rich and beautiful since ancient times; second, Su Dongpo has many friends in Yixing; third, Yixing is far away from power disputes.

Perhaps, Yangxian landscape can soothe Su Dongpo, which has been ups and downs several times in the officialdom. After turning a large circle on China's territory, Su Dongpo eventually failed for returning to Yangxian. In July 1101 AD, he passed away in Changzhou on his way back.

For more than 900 years, this landscape of Yangxian has attracted generations of literati to come here, expressing their affections among the landscape.

Photograph of Dongpo Pavilion

In 2019, Dongpo Pavilion was built on the hill next to Yada Academy. This building, inspired by Song paintings, was designed by ancient construction expert Mr. Zhu Guangya. As the commanding height of Yada Yangxian Xishan, it overlooks the landscape of Yangxian.

Dongpo Pavilion is built to commemorate Mr. Su Dongpo and express people’s nostalgia for him. In order to realize Su Dongpo's unfulfilled wish, the pavilion is specially built in this mountain area, named Chu Song, and 300 orange trees are planted.

Photograph of Chinese Traditional Courtyard

In fact, the entire project of Yangxian Xishan is related to Su Dongpo. The slogan “Where My Heart Belongs is My Hometown” is also taken from Su Dongpo’s poem.

As an integrated health ecological park focusing on wellness and aged-care, leisure and holiday, as well as culture and art, Yada Yangxian Xishan hardly ever sells its real estate in full swing, but building cultural and sports facilities such as Lakeside Park and Culture & Art Center. The Founder of Yada Mr. Jiang Jianning once pointed out at Yada International 9th Anniversary Symposium in April this year: Yada is presenting a way of life.

This way of life, to Yangxian Xishan, carries the love of the literati for the pastoral landscape and the return to original heart.

Mr. Jiang Jianning is a native of Yixing, born in Yang Xiang Town, same with Famous Painter Mr. Qian Songyan.

In 1980, Mr. Jiang Jianning, who was only 17 years old, left Yixing for study at Beijing Normal University. During his time at the university, he had run news agency and made newspaper. He was an active member of the student union. Later, he served as Secretary of BNU Youth League Committee & CEO of CYTS and founded Yada International in 2011. Its Wuzhen Project has become a model for the development of China's aged-care industry. In 2018, Mr. Jiang Jianning returned to Yixing and started Yangxian Xishan and Yaohu Town projects. He also donated 5 million scholarships to Yangxiang Primary School. After nearly two years of construction, Yangxian Xishan has begun to take shape. On every holiday, there is a constant flow of traffic and tourists.

In August this year, the first phase of Yangxian Xishan will be delivered.

In Mr. Jiang Jianning's collection, there is a work by Yi Xing painter Mr. Wu Guanzhong " The Sound of Hometown". This picture of geese in the Jiangnan Water Village embodies the trust of the two generations for the nostalgia.

Yangxian Xishan, is Mr. Jiang Jianning's most direct presentation of this nostalgia.

Work of Mr. Wu Guanzhong " The Sound of Hometown"

Yada Academy, as an important window for cultural exchanges in Yangxian Xishan, the first two talks invited famous writers Mr. Ge Fei and Mr. Ye Zhaoyan to talk about Jiangnan culture and to express nostalgia. They all talked about one person, Su Dongpo.

Yada Academy has become a new saloon for Yixing Jiangnan culture exchange.

To some extent, Yangxian Xishan has fulfilled the dream of many people's landscape countryside dream, and built the ideal home of the ancient scholars.

Whether Dongpo Pavilion or Yada Academy, they continue the dream of the ancient scholars, and also convey the pursuit of ideal life today.

In the busy world, everyone has a fairyland in his heart. This fairyland is where the heart belongs and the desire to live comfortably.

（Source：Yixing Integrated media center Purple Clay Channel）