Glazed Screen Wall

Glazed Screen Wall

The Glazed Screen Wall is a cultural relic protection unit of Liaoning Province.

Located in Xiangouling, Ximu, Haicheng, it was relocated to Haicheng Park in 1962. Originally a glazed screen wall in front of the "Yellow Tile Kiln," it features a Sumeru pedestal adorned with multi-petal patterns. The waist section is carved with various floral designs, while both sides of the wall body are inlaid with carvings such as cranes and deer together in spring, a qilin gazing into the distance, three consecutive promotions, and an official receiving a noble title, all with lifelike shapes and vibrant colors. The roof is in a gable-and-hip style, inlaid with green glazed tiles.

In the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, Hou Zhenju built the Hou Family Kiln in Gangyao Ridge Village and produced green-glazed bowls. At that time, Nurhaci, the leader of the Manchus, was rising to power. In the sixth year of the Tianming era of the Later Jin (1621), kiln owner Hou Zhenju meticulously fired over 3,000 green-glazed bowls, jars, and other items, personally delivering them to Liaoyang. Nurhaci was highly impressed and bestowed upon Hou a hereditary fifth-rank Bèiyù official position, rewarded him with 20 taels of silver, and incorporated the Hou Family Kiln into the official system. Later, in the seventh year of the Tianming era (1622), Nurhaci constructed the Eastern Capital (four kilometers east of Liaoyang), and in the tenth year (1625), he moved the capital to Shenyang to build palaces. The glazed bricks and tiles used were all meticulously fired by the Hou Family Kiln. The Hou family loyally served the imperial court for generations and received numerous honors. From 1621, when the Hou Family Kiln was incorporated into the official system, until 1851, there were 14 successive leaders, spanning nearly 300 years.

The glazed screen wall is 5.83 meters long, 3.93 meters high, and 0.82 meters thick. The base is constructed from purple, green, yellow, and brown glazed bricks, with a lotus-patterned Sumeru pedestal and a green-glazed tiled hipped-gable roof. The four corners of the wall feature four hanging lotus columns, and both sides are inlaid with glazed brick carvings. The southern side features auspicious patterns such as an official receiving a noble title, a halberd, wishes fulfilled, everlasting sun and moon, three consecutive promotions, a moon-gazing scene, and pine and crane symbolizing longevity. The northern side features auspicious patterns including a qilin, along with the inscription "The 21st Year of the Daoguang Era (1841), 2nd Month, 1st Day of the Middle Autumn."

In the autumn of 1960, to better protect the glazed screen wall, cultural heritage authorities organized manpower to relocate it from Xiangouling, Gangyao Ridge, to Haicheng Park.

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Liaoning Province