A Textual Research on the Master of Wuyuan in Yizheng Municipality, Jiangsu Province in Ming Dynasty

For a long time, scholars of Chinese garden history did not know who was the master of Wuyuan in Ming Dynasty, let alone his ancestry. A textual research has been done, which indicates that WANG Shi-heng, from Shangshuinan Village, Xiuning County, was the master of Wuyuan in Yizhen County in Ming Dynasty. He was the 81st generation of Wang family in Shangshuinan and was given the title of Secretary of Wenhuadian by donation in the first year of Chongzhen. He was recorded in Yizhen County Annals(1668)as WANG Ji. His forefathers had been illustrious businessmen of salt in Yizhen County in the end of Ming Dynasty. WANG Shi-chu was a relative of WANG Shi-heng and was the 83rd generation of Wang family in Shangshuinan.