Xiqing Hall

Xiqing Hall

Xiqing Hall is a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Jiangsu Province.

Xiqing Hall is located in Yangwan Town, Dongshan. It originally consisted of structures such as an entrance hall, main hall, gate tower, front building, rear building, and auxiliary rooms. Currently, only the later-built front building, the brick-carved gate tower, and the historically significant rear building remain, with 18 households residing inside.

Gate Tower: relatively tall and imposing, built with a brick-and-wood structure and featuring a bird-nest ridge. The craftsmanship is delicate, with fine square bricks applied to the horizontal beam and bracket arms, carved with stylized ruyi (auspicious) motifs. The turns are all at right angles, and the lines are all straight. The "hanging clouds" below the beams also feature straight-lined ruyi cloud patterns. The central section originally had a gate lintel inscribed with a date (now erased and illegible). The central panel is decorated with the "Eight Treasures" pattern.

The rear building is the focal point among the remaining structures of the hall. Floor plan: the overall width is 17.40 meters across five bays. The total depth is 8.50 meters; the front corridor on the ground floor is 1.80 meters deep, with one step in front of the central bay. The rear corridor is 1.20 meters deep, with a staircase located at the back of the central bay. The front corridor on the upper floor is 1.10 meters deep. The ground floor bays are divided by walls, while the upper floor features a unified space spanning three central and side bays, with the end bays partitioned by wooden panels to form separate rooms.

Beam Framework: The left and right sections of the central bay feature raised-beam construction. On the golden pillars are installed bracket blocks, with angled brackets supporting the four-rafter beams and incorporating the “dangtibei” design. The beams are closely spaced and richly decorated, with carved patterns. The central bay also features intricately carved beams. The side bays have simpler structures. The beams and brackets are adorned with carvings of floral and geometric motifs, including “treasure” and “floral” designs. The rafters and purlins are connected in an interlocking manner, forming stable triangular supports. The decorative elements include motifs such as “swastikas” and “clouds.” The bracket arms and beams align precisely, demonstrating refined joinery techniques.

Interior Finishes: On the ground floor, the central bay has six doors, with the central panel featuring a small wooden-strip pattern forming a “book” shape. The skirt panels and decorative bands are adorned with fine straight-line ruyi cloud patterns similar to those on the gate tower. The end bays on the upper floor are partitioned by screen doors, forming individual rooms. The lower sill of the screen doors is carved in a style resembling a “plinth.”

Dongshan Town: Dongshan Town is located southwest of Suzhou, 37 kilometers from the ancient city of Suzhou, and is a shining pearl on the shores of Taihu Lake. The town covers a total area of 96.55 square kilometers, governs 13 villages (communities), and has a permanent population of 54,000. Surrounded by water on three sides, Dongshan enjoys a pleasant climate and abundant natural resources. Known as a famous land of flowers, fruits, and fisheries, it is honored as the “Hometown of Biluochun Tea” and the “Hometown of Taihu Crabs” in China. Biluochun tea, white sand loquats, dark purple bayberries, Taihu hairy crabs, a variety of premium vegetables, and high-quality Taihu aquatic products are available year-round. “There are fruits in every season, flowers every month…” More detailed information about Dongshan Town ++

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Heritage Protection Units