Jichang Yuan is also called "Qin Yuan" (秦园). The site used to be two buildings called "Nan Yin" (南隐) and "Ou Yu" (沤寓). During the Ming dynasty, Qin Jin (秦金), bought "Ou Yu" of Huishan Temple. Qin was a metropolitan graduate in 1493 and also the descendant of Qin Guan, a famous lyricist in the Northern Song dynasty.He built it on the basis of old building, making hills and ponds, planting flowers and trees, building houses, and changing it to a garden. After the death of Qin Jin, the garden was inherited by his family member Qin Han and his son Qin Liang. In the summer of 1560, Qin Han built another garden at the top of Huishan,  called "Feng Gu Shan Zhuang" or "Villa of Phoenix Valley".