The site of the Xunfu Yamen, also called Xunfu Duyushitai or Futai Yamen, at 20 Shuyuan Alley, was listed as a Suzhou relic protection site in 1982 and is now under local hygiene school management.

During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), Xunfu referred to the highest level of local official, and during the Qing Dynasty (1636-1911), it referred to a provincial governor, who was in charge of military and prison affairs in the province.

In the 5th year of the Xuande emperor of the Ming (1430 AD), the Yingtian (now Nanjing, Jiangsu province) Xunfu was sent to the city of Suzhou and put in charge of the southern bank of the Yangtze River and the city of Anqing, on the north of the Yangtze.

The province of Jiangsu was established in the 6th year of the Kangxi emperor, of the Qing (1667 AD) Dynasty. In the 25th year of the Qianlong emperoro of the Qing (1760 AD), the Jiangsu Xunfu had jurisdiction over Suzhou, Songjiang, Changzhou, Zhenjiang, and Taicang Zhilizhou (the equivalent of a city in modern times), headquartered in Suzhou. After the Xinhai Revolution of 1911 broke out, the Xunfu position was abolished.

The Heshan School was originally located on the Xunfu Yaman site until the local government claimed it during the Yongle period of the Ming. From the Xuande period of the Ming, when the Xunfu was established, until the end of the Qing, a 480-year period, a great number of famous officials worked here, including Zhou Chen, Hai Rui, Tang Bin, Liang Zhangju, Zhang Boxing, and Lin Zexu. During his five years as governor, Lin Zexu developed an excellent political record and was much honored by the local people.

Pushed by the revolutionary forces, Cheng Dequan, the last Xunfu, announced an independent Jiangsu, separate from the Qing government, which played an important part in bringing down the Qing government.

In its early form, the Xunfu Yamen was very large. It now consists of a main gate, ceremonial gate, back hall, and back building, which were rebuilt in the 5th year of the Tongzhi emperor of the Qing (1866 AD). The lobby was demolished in 1980.