The serene and elegant ancient village of Shen'ao

Worth seeing is Huaisu Hall, built during the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty. Covering an area of 793 square meters, it features a three-room, three-courtyard, two-skywell layout in a 'mu' shaped brick-wood structure, which is a typical Jiangnan large household courtyard architecture. The hall's name is derived from the phrase 'A gentleman acts according to his position' in the Doctrine of the Mean, and 'Plain conduct, no blame' in the Book of Changes. The meaning is: 'A gentleman always cherishes virtue, and virtue is what he naturally attains.' The interior decorations of Huaisu Hall are dazzling. From the high ox legs and moon beams to the low window lattice skirts and door lock waist panels, from the large dougong brackets and floral beams to the small window partitions and floral knots, from the sparrow replacements at the beam heads to the column bases, every part is intricately carved. The carvings depict the traditional educational maxims of ancient Chinese families, imbued with a rich Confucian cultural flavor.