Sheqing Hall

Sheqing Hall

Sheqing Hall is a Suzhou Municipal Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Sheqing Hall is located at No. 186, Dongli Village, Jinting Town (i.e., Xiushan Island), Wuzhong District, Suzhou City. It was built during the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty. The site currently consists of six individual structures covering a total area of approximately 411.3 square meters: one gatehouse, one flower hall, one rear auxiliary room, one main hall, one two-story hall, and one residential building. These are divided into two routes—eastern and western. The eastern route includes the gatehouse, flower hall, and rear auxiliary room; the western route comprises the main hall, two-story hall, and residential rooms. These are connected via service alleys, while each unit is separated by partition walls and courtyards, forming distinct spaces. The flower hall has a width of three bays, with an interior five-bay configuration featuring front and rear verandas and a returned ceiling, forming a “triple-veranda connected” layout. The structure is compact and exhibits remarkable curvilinear elegance.

Notably, the brick-carved gate tower on the eastern side of the front courtyard bears an inscription reading “Qianlong Yichou Mengqiu,” which corresponds to the year 1745—the absolute dating of the hall’s construction.

The main hall is three bays wide and features an interior four-bay configuration with a front veranda and rear double-step design. The interior beams, beam supports, rafter ends, bracket sets, purlins, and architraves are all exquisitely crafted, showcasing refined decorative patterns and high artistic value.

In 2009, Sheqing Hall was designated as part of the sixth batch of Suzhou Municipal Cultural Relics Protection Units by the municipal government.