Zhangzhu Chenghuang Temple Stage

Zhangzhu Chenghuang Temple Stage

The Zhangzhu Chenghuang Temple Stage is a cultural relics protection unit of Yixing City.

The Chenghuang Temple Stage is located on Xiachang Street in Zhangzhu Town, Yixing City. In November 1996, it was designated as a municipal-level cultural relics protection unit by the Yixing Municipal People's Government.

The Chenghuang Temple Stage is part of the Zhangzhu Chenghuang Temple. The Zhangzhu Chenghuang Temple was originally built during the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty (1368–1398), initially located at the mouth of Xinjie River. It was destroyed by fire during the Taiping Rebellion and later relocated to its current site. The existing structures were built in the seventh year of the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty (1881), comprising a gate tower, stage, and main hall. The complex spans 17.50 meters in width and 44.25 meters in depth. The stage faces north and is situated to the south. It is a single-bay structure with a hip-and-gable roof, measuring 7.50 meters in width and 5.60 meters in depth, with a stage opening 2.60 meters high. The front eaves are decorated with six sets of bracket arms (dougong), while the sides have four sets, and the eave beams feature relief carvings of theatrical stories, all of which were destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. The wall beneath the stage is finished with square bricks, crafted with great precision. Adjacent to the south side of the stage is a two-story gate tower with five bays, spanning 17.50 meters in width and 9 meters in depth across six rafters. It houses a stele from the seventh year of the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty inscribed with the “Record of the Reconstruction of the Chenghuang Temple” and a notice stele from the 29th year of the Daoguang reign, both well-preserved. To the north of the stage lies the main hall of the Chenghuang Temple, featuring a flush gable roof, with three bays spanning 13.50 meters in width and twelve rafters spanning 15.40 meters in depth. In 2001, the temple’s abbot raised funds to renovate the main hall. In 2003, the Yixing Municipal People's Government and the Zhangzhu Town People's Government allocated funds to renovate the stage.

Zhangzhu Town: Known historically as Taohexi, Zhangzhu Town in Yixing City was established in the fourth year of the Yongjia era of the Western Jin Dynasty (310 AD), boasting a history of nearly 1,700 years. Located 30 kilometers southwest of downtown Yixing in a hilly area, the town is surrounded by verdant mountains, bamboo forests, and fragrant tea fields. The renowned Shanjuan Scenic Area is situated within Zhangzhu. For a long time, it has served as a major hub for agricultural and sideline product distribution and commercial trade in the border region of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui provinces, earning the nickname “Golden Zhangzhu.” It has been successively recognized by the provincial government as a Key Industrial Satellite Town, one of Jiangsu’s Hundred Famous Towns, a Model New-Type Town in Jiangsu, and a Provincial Sanitary Town. More details about Zhangzhu Town++