Lou Shanhou Junhui Hall

Lou Shanhou Junhui Hall

Lou Shanhou Junhui Hall is a Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Lou Shanhou Junhui Hall is located in Lou Shanhou Village, Quanwang Town, Qujiang District. Also known as "Niángniang Tīng" or "Loufēng Niángniang Tīng," it was designated as a provincial-level cultural relics protection unit in January 2011. Built during the Chenghua era of the Ming Dynasty (1466), it was constructed by the family of Empress Xiaozhen of the Ming Dynasty. The building faces south and covers a construction area of 413 square meters, with a total site area of 872 square meters. The central axis consists of a memorial archway, gate tower, front hall, courtyard, main hall, and rear hall. The gate tower, front hall, main hall, and rear hall each have three bays, with a total width of 13.15 meters and a depth of 35 meters. The hip-and-gable roof gate tower features a gold-painted plaque inscribed with the characters “?Yīng” under the eaves. On both sides of the main gate are drum stones carved with floral patterns. The memorial archway is built from brick and stone in a flush-gable style with corbelled eaves. The archway's lintel bears four bold running script characters “?J Shuǐ Míng Zōng,” inscribed by Qiu Zhaao, a Jinshi scholar and Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel during the Kangxi era. The brick carvings are inlaid with designs of blooming flowers and fluttering leaves.

Empress Wang, whose personal name was Zhōngyīng, was the second empress of Emperor Zhu Jianshen (the Chenghua Emperor) of the Ming Dynasty, historically known as "Empress Xiaozhen of the Ming Dynasty." According to the Kangxi-era "Quzhou Prefecture Records" and the "Qu County Annals" compiled by Zheng Yongxi, it is recorded: "Empress Xiaozhen of the Ming Dynasty, originally from Loufēng, Xi’an, Quzhou, was the daughter of Wang Mengwen..." The "Loufēng Wang Family Genealogy" states: "The nineteenth-generation descendant of the Loufēng Wang family, named Wèi, courtesy name Kè'ān, also known as Chuānsǒu or Mengwén Gong, had an eldest daughter who was selected to enter the palace at the age of fourteen. In the year Jiǎshēn (1464), she was appointed as the principal consort of the Crown Prince (the future Chenghua Emperor). As the father of the empress, he was honored with official robes and a noble title..."

Junhui Hall is well preserved, featuring large-scale materials, thick beams, and sturdy construction. Its unique structure and layout have been maintained through the ages. As the hometown of Empress Xiaozhen, it holds significant historical, scientific, and artistic research value.

Lou Shanhou Village: Located one li (approximately 500 meters) south of the town center, Lou Shanhou Village boasts a rich cultural heritage. A clear stream runs through the village, along which are several Ming Dynasty structures including Junhui Hall (also known as Niángniang Tīng), Guojiù Tīng (the State Uncle’s Hall), and Jìqìng Bridge, all of which are over 400 years old. The village currently has a population of 1,620, with 472 households and 15 villager groups. The total land area is 4,483 mu, including 1,287 mu of arable land and 2,000 mu of forested land. In 2004, the per capita income was 3,165 yuan, mainly derived from citrus farming, grain production, and migrant work, with over 500 villagers working outside the village. Following the election... More detailed information about Lou Shanhou Village++

Further Reading:

· Sixth Batch of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units