東大池為無錫西郊(jiao)著名風景(jing)區(qu),位于龍山(shan)(shan)村嶂山(shan)(shan)與蓮(lian)花山(shan)(shan)之間的(de)(de)山(shan)(shan)谷前(qian)(qian),東大池實為惠山(shan)(shan)山(shan)(shan)水所匯成的(de)(de)深潭,溪(xi)水前(qian)(qian)繞,林木(mu)蔥茂(mao),景(jing)色幽寂,秀(xiu)麗多姿。
1918年,離大(da)(da)池(chi)(chi)(chi)(chi)不遠的(de)陸(lu)井人陸(lu)培之(zhi),經(jing)商致(zhi)富,出資開(kai)發。對(dui)(dui)大(da)(da)池(chi)(chi)(chi)(chi)疏浚挖深(shen),修(xiu)筑(zhu)堤岸,在東北(bei)角(jiao)建(jian)香雪亭(ting),在池(chi)(chi)(chi)(chi)水(shui)中央建(jian)池(chi)(chi)(chi)(chi)心亭(ting),營(ying)造垂虹、印月(yue)兩小(xiao)橋,又(you)開(kai)得泉脈(mo)于(yu)(yu)山(shan)麓之(zhi)畔,以“白沙泉”名之(zhi),在大(da)(da)池(chi)(chi)(chi)(chi)周圍遍植桃柳(liu)。為了便于(yu)(yu)溪(xi)南的(de)人來東大(da)(da)池(chi)(chi)(chi)(chi),又(you)跨梁溪(xi)河建(jian)鴻橋一座(zuo)。后(hou)因陸(lu)培之(zhi)工廠經(jing)營(ying)不善(shan)倒閉,于(yu)(yu)是(shi)將(jiang)東大(da)(da)池(chi)(chi)(chi)(chi)及所(suo)有(you)建(jian)筑(zhu)抵押(ya)給曾任(ren)隴海鐵(tie)路局長的(de)徐(xu)燕謀,徐(xu)燕謀對(dui)(dui)東大(da)(da)池(chi)(chi)(chi)(chi)景觀極有(you)興趣,于(yu)(yu)是(shi)大(da)(da)興土木,在路口設(she)置“徐(xu)路”兩字(zi)界(jie)石(shi),香雪亭(ting)旁又(you)辟游泳池(chi)(chi)(chi)(chi)。在蓮花山(shan)上建(jian)環(huan)翠樓飯(fan)莊,在池(chi)(chi)(chi)(chi)北(bei)建(jian)造“燕居池(chi)(chi)(chi)(chi)館”,稱為“燕廬”,現留有(you)徐(xu)世昌(chang)親筆題寫的(de)刻石(shi)一塊(kuai)。徐(xu)世昌(chang)曾任(ren)北(bei)洋政府國務(wu)卿,1918年由段祺瑞的(de)“安福國會(hui)”選為總統,后(hou)拒任(ren)。徐(xu)燕謀以東大(da)(da)池(chi)(chi)(chi)(chi)位于(yu)(yu)深(shen)谷之(zhi)畔,桃紅柳(liu)綠(lv),池(chi)(chi)(chi)(chi)水(shui)清澈(che),猶如世外桃源(yuan),即在池(chi)(chi)(chi)(chi)畔立一水(shui)泥坊,上書“小(xiao)桃源(yuan)”三字(zi),從此這里成為無(wu)錫郊(jiao)區游覽勝地。