The house of Ding, a structure built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and located in Suzhou of Jiangsu province, was changed into the Wang Xiaohui Art Museum and re-opened in 2013.

According to an official from Gusu district, the change will promote the cultural industry of the old area of the city by bringing in international cultural celebrities and modern art.

The Ding mansion is located at No 54 of Daru Alley on Pingjiang Road. It was built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and rebuilt in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). It features Suzhou garden architecture with four rows for each room; each row has two stories.

Gusu district changed the mansion into a museum this year to set up a platform for art and brand promotion and international communication.

The reconstruction project was led by the artist Wang Xiaohui herself. The original style of the mansion is well preserved, with modern elements added as well.

In the museum, there is an exquisite garden, pond, pavilion and corridor. Steel lotuses “blossom” in the pond, attracting many visitors. There is a glass lotus in the middle and copper lotus in the backyard of the home.