Shanghu Lake in Changshu is said to have been named after Jiang Shang, a Chinese noble who helped king Wu of Zhou overthrow the Shang Dynasty.[Photo provided to China Daily]

Today Maiwang Pavilion continues to bear remnants from the Ming Dynasty. This three-entry wooden building in Zhao Alley, southwest of Changshu, was listed in the sixth batch of national key cultural relics protection units in 2006.

Another noteworthy book collection relic is the Tieqintongjian (iron guqin, a seven-stringed plucked instrument, and copper sword) Building, in the town of Guli, which has survived 200 years intact.

The owner, the Qu family, collected books and spared little expense in doing so. They also read books, proofread ancient volumes and edited bibliographies allowing knowledge of history and many other things, as well as wisdom, to flourish and to be propagated.

When the Qing army was besieged during the Taiping Rebellion in Changshu in 1862 and searches were conducted house to house, the Qus put their lives at risk to safeguard the books. After New China was founded in 1949 the family, respecting their ancestors' legacy, donated all of their collections to the nation.