The Former Residence of Shen De Qian

The former residence of Shen De Qian features a heavy, dark wooden gate set into a plain white plaster wall, typical of Qing dynasty scholar homes in Suzhou. Shen lived here while serving as a poet and official under the Qianlong Emperor. He spent his retirement compiling the Anthology of Tang Poetry, a collection that became the standard textbook for generations of Chinese students. His presence turned this quiet courtyard into a hub where scholars gathered to debate the mechanics of classical verse.