Wengtang

Wengtang

Wengtang is a cultural relic protection unit of Jiangsu Province.

Wengtang is located in Yuelai Lane outside Zhonghua Gate in Qinhuai District, Nanjing. It is China’s oldest public bathhouse, with a history of over 600 years. It is a cultural relic protection unit of Jiangsu Province.

Legend has it that Wengtang originated in the early Ming Dynasty when there were five such bathhouses built by Zhu Yuanzhang to solve the bathing problem for over 200,000 laborers repairing the city wall. Inside Wengtang, two dome-shaped “weng” (vats) on the ceiling form an “8” shape, and beneath them are the bathtubs. For over 600 years, it has carried the bathing memories of generations.

The history of Wengtang is full of legends. There are two popular stories about its origin. The first, as mentioned above, is that Wengtang was built by Zhu Yuanzhang during the construction of the city wall to provide bathing facilities for over 200,000 laborers. In the early Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang mobilized a large number of workers from across the country to build the city wall in Nanjing. The laborers worked all day, their clothes sweaty and unwashed, infested with lice and suffering from scabies, living in misery. Upon learning this, Zhu Yuanzhang sought advice from his ministers. The military strategist Liu Bowen suggested building bathhouses where laborers could not only bathe but also change clothes, eliminating lice and preventing scabies. Thus, Zhu Yuanzhang had a number of bathhouses built near the construction sites. Because the original bathhouses resembled upside-down vats, they were called “Wengtang.” While the city wall is a symbol of Nanjing, Wengtang is actually older than the wall itself.

Another theory suggests that Wengtang was affiliated with the Jinling Da Bao’en Temple and served as a bathing facility for foreign envoys and high-ranking officials, making it the most luxurious bathhouse of the Ming Dynasty. Since Wengtang is adjacent to the Jinling Da Bao’en Temple, it is considered the temple’s “Ju’en Spring.” To repay the kindness of his birth mother, Empress Qi, Emperor Chengzu Zhu Di had Zheng He personally supervise the construction of the Jinling Da Bao’en Temple. After its completion, foreign envoys and dignitaries would come to pay homage, and before doing so, they would bathe and purify themselves at Wengtang. It was a high-end bathhouse during the Ming Dynasty.

Wengtang is also known as “Wengchi” (vat pool) because its original structure resembled an upside-down vat. The original bathhouse featured a pool built on the ground with a large iron cauldron buried underneath. Fire was lit beneath the cauldron to heat the entire pool. The pool was covered with a semi-circular roof resembling an upside-down wok or a city gate tunnel. The rising steam gathered inside, maintaining warmth. More ingeniously, the condensed water evaporating to the top would flow down along the domed ceiling and walls without dripping onto bathers, showcasing the ingenuity of the design.

Wengtang also has a unique feature: next to the large pool under the domed ceiling is a smaller pool with boiling hot water underneath, not meant for soaking. A wooden rack is installed above the pool, allowing bathers to sit and steam. Just a short while is enough to open up the pores and relieve fatigue. Some who enjoy the steam might even sing a bit of Peking opera or hum an old tune. While many traditional bathhouses once had such small pools, this particular design and experience are now nearly extinct.

On June 5, 2006, Wengtang was listed as part of the sixth batch of cultural relic protection units of Jiangsu Province.

Address: No. 2, Yuelai Lane, West Street, Xiamaqiao Community, Zhonghua Gate Subdistrict, Qinhuai District

Xiamaqiao Community: Established in April 2006, with its office located at No. 55, Shangmatou Road. … Xiamaqiao Community detailed information++

Further reading:

· Sixth Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Jiangsu Province