"Jing" Day Out (19) - Beijing: Ji Xiaolan's Former Residence

In history, he was the chief editor of the Siku Quanshu (Complete Library in Four Branches of Literature). He was the author of the Yuewei Caotang Biji (Notes from the Thatched Abode of Close Observations), one of the two masterpieces of short classical Chinese novels in the Qing Dynasty, along with the Liaozhai Zhiyi (Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio). He was the witty and clever "Ji Dayandai" (Ji the Big Pipe) who fought wits and courage with Heshen and was addicted to smoking. He was a man of great learning and talent, whose brilliant couplets delighted the emperor. He was Ji Xiaolan, a famous scholar and important official during the Qianlong period. On screen, the TV series "The Eloquent Ji Xiaolan" portrayed him as a man of integrity, courage, wit, and humor, the "Number One Scholar of the Qing Dynasty". His repeated "battles" with Heshen were entertaining and thrilling for the audience, and made Ji Xiaolan a more interesting and likable character. So, with curiosity and interest, I rushed to Ji Xiaolan's former residence, a courtyard where he lived for 62 years, to learn about his legendary life. I wanted to smell the flowers, hear the stories, and see the relics in the house where he planted wisteria in the front yard and crabapple in the backyard, and walk into his timeline through the cracks of time. The 18th stop of "Jing" Day Out, let's visit Ji Xiaolan's former residence. 📌TIPS: 📍Location: Search for Ji Xiaolan's Former Residence on the map. 💰Ticket: CNY 10/person. ⏰️Opening hours: 💠Nov 1 - Mar 31: 9:00 - 17:00 💠Apr 1 - Oct 31: 9:00 - 18:00 🟡️Duration: About 1 hour 🟣️Highlights: 🌸Ji Xiaolan Memorial Hall: The hall details Ji Xiaolan's extraordinary life on a timeline. 🌸Ji's Study: The study is on display, and the back hall sells books about Ji Xiaolan and some cultural and creative products. 🌸Wisteria in front of the residence: Over 300 years old, planted by Ji Xiaolan himself, a national first-class ancient tree. 🌸Crabapple in the backyard: Still flourishing, planted by Ji Xiaolan himself. 🟡️Nearby: 💟To the north: (A one-day itinerary) Ji Xiaolan's Former Residence - Liulichang Cultural Street (8 minutes by bike, about 2 hours) - Dashilan (10 minutes by bike, about 2-3 hours) - Qianmen Street (including Dashilan) - Tiananmen Square (10 minutes on foot, about 1 hour) 💟To the south: (A one-day itinerary) Ji Xiaolan's Former Residence - Xiannongtan (11 minutes by bike, about 1-2 hours) - Temple of Heaven (10 minutes on foot, about 2-4 hours)