Mao Qiling Memorial Hall, a new landmark building for cultural landscaping in Xiaoshan’s Chengxiang Subdistrict, was officially unveiled on June 27.

Mao Qiling (1623-1713), styled “Mr. Xihe”, lived in early Qing dynasty (1636-1911). A native of Xiaoshan, Mao was a polymath celebrated for his mastery of disciplines ranging from classical studies to historiography, music, and poetry. Twenty-eight of his works were selected into Siku Quanshu (Complete Library of the Four Treasuries). His pragmatic philosophy of “applying knowledge to real-world challenges” echoes the enduring civic ethos of modern Xiaoshan.

The hall represents Mao’s life and legacy along with a blend of Chengxiang’s canal heritage and urban landscape in old days. Its sections, like “A Son of Chengxiang’s Scholarly Elite” and “Hardship for Years”, constitute a narrative of his life with the presentation of documents, visible items, and virtual reality. The second floor, in the form of water-town in the region south of the Yangtze River, features a terraced space that marks Mao’s long, challenged journey in pursuit of knowledge, together with the reproductions of his manuscripts, calligraphic works, and paintings.

Entry into the memorial is free, with its opening hours from 10:00 to 20:00 all days a week. It hosts over 50 events each year, such as intangible cultural heritage pop-ups, seasonal workshops, movie days, calligraphy classes, and cultural lectures. It also has curators to create “tangible memories”, activating the community’s cultural genes.