Cangxi Stage

Cangxi Stage

The Cangxi Stage is located in Cangxi Ancient Town, Gaochun District, Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province.

Originally built during the Three Kingdoms period as the Sanyuan Taoist Temple, a stage was first erected beside the temple during the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty. After being destroyed and rebuilt multiple times, the temple no longer exists, but the stage remains. The stage faces west and is built with brick and wood. It has three bays and two stories, spanning 13.5 meters in width. The stage is shaped like a “convex” character, with the central bay featuring a single-eave hanging hip roof, while the side bays have single-eave flush gable roofs, all covered with small tiles and featuring upturned eaves. In front of the stage hangs a horizontal plaque inscribed with the words “A Song by the Blue Waves,” written by the Qing Dynasty scholar Fang Bao. The central part of the stage’s front is adorned with carved openwork depicting the “Two Dragons Playing with a Pearl,” and the entrance and exit on either side feature fan-shaped plaques inscribed with “Exit for Generals” and “Enter for Court Officials,” respectively. The ceiling of the stage is fitted with a square caisson ceiling painted with folk tale scenes such as “Visiting a Friend in the Snow” and “Wang Xizhi Loving Geese.” In the square in front of the stage stand two Chinese fir trees over 200 years old, with straight trunks and lush foliage, complementing the stage and adding to its ancient charm.

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units