Zhitan Architectural Complex

Zhitan Architectural Complex

The Zhitan Architectural Complex is a cultural heritage site protected by Zhejiang Province.

The Zhitan Architectural Complex is located in Hengshan Town, Longyou County, dating from the Ming Dynasty to the Republic of China.

Zhitan Village is situated at the junction of Longyou, Lanxi, and Jiande counties, backed by Tianchi Mountain to the north and flanked by Damai Mountain to the southeast, with Muhuan Stream flowing past its southwest. The village’s location reflects principles of feng shui.

Historical records suggest that Zhitan was originally called “Zitang” due to a large pond in front of the village where a giant catalpa tree grew, hence the name “Zitang,” which later evolved into Zhitan. According to the Genealogy Records in the Republican-era Longyou County Annals, the Shao family ancestors migrated from Shouchang to this area in 1291 during the Yuan Dynasty, marking over 700 years of village history. During the Southern Song Dynasty, amid northern warfare and the relocation of the capital to Lin’an, large numbers of migrants moved south. Zhitan was considered an auspicious place where “lions and elephants open by day and close by night,” attracting settlers who established homes and businesses here. By the Ming Dynasty, the village flourished greatly, producing many talented individuals who passed imperial examinations and secured official positions. Numerous government officials returned to build grand halls to honor their ancestors, leaving behind valuable cultural heritage.

The ancient village of Zhitan centers around Huataijiao, historically known as Xiaojie Guli (Little Street Old Lane), where narrow alleys connect and buildings link to one another, forming a bustling hub for officials and merchants since ancient times. It featured wine shops, teahouses, pharmacies, and general stores, all signs of commercial prosperity. The surrounding layout forms a “cloth sack mouth” shape, symbolizing wealth accumulation and keeping fortune within. The village expanded outward in three directions, with residences, ancestral halls, and main halls constructed to form the settlement. Today, 66 historic buildings remain: 27 from the Ming Dynasty, 34 from the Qing Dynasty, 5 from the Republic of China, and 1 from modern times.

On the east side wall of the entrance hall of the “Dongling Hou” (Marquis of Dongling) site, there are inscriptions such as “February, 35th Year of Qianlong (1770), Jixiu Troupe,” indicating theatrical performances. The ancient stage has been included among the five major collections of global cultural heritage protection.

Yongmu Hall, also known as the Shao Family Flower Hall, is a Ming Dynasty mid-period structure with over 500 years of history. Ascending three steps, you’ll find drum-shaped stone pillars on both sides, standing one meter tall, finely crafted with clear patterns, lending an air of solemnity to the hall. Inside, the floor is paved with blue bricks, while the entrance and corridors are adorned with colorful ceiling paintings featuring floral designs, exquisitely beautiful. The bases of 90 large columns are stone plinths, supporting beams topped with brackets. The beams are flat and slightly curved, with twisted “dragon whiskers” at each end, showcasing not only exquisite architectural craftsmanship but also symbolic meaning tied to the descendants of the dragon.

The Dongling Hou Hall is located in the northwest of the village, initially built in the 8th year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty, featuring five bays and three sections. Uniquely, the entire hall faces south while the main entrance faces north. The front door is flanked by drum-shaped stone pillars, and a wooden plaque inscribed with “Dongling Hou” hangs on the back of the door, with a couplet on either side. In front of the door lies a demon-suppressing stone, and side rooms flank the main entrance, often used for actor makeup and storage of performance trunks and props. The central bay of the main hall features nine beams spanning both front and back with double steps, and the rear corridor includes a rolled awning. The side bays use a post-and-lintel construction method with wooden pedestals and inverted basins below, capped with a flush gable roof. The later-built rear sections are about 1.5 meters higher in elevation than the front sections. The fifth bay serves as a rear building to enshrine ancestral tablets. Both the fourth and fifth bays use drum-shaped pedestals. The entire structure uses high-quality, large materials, with artistic elements designed in a simple and grand style. The architecture showcases exquisite craftsmanship and distinct characteristics of ancestral hall construction. Still in use today, it holds significant cultural heritage value.

The Xi family originally resided in Tanzhu Village, Tongcheng, Anhui, and migrated to Zhitan in the late Song Dynasty. In the early Qing Dynasty, they built the Xi Family Ancestral Hall, a three-bay, three-section structure facing southeast and situated northwest. All three sections feature seven-rafter post-and-lintel construction with front and rear corridors. The corridor pillars are adorned with bracket arms topped with angled pedestal blocks, which support a set of elephant-trunk brackets bearing the eaves purlins. The design is both aesthetically pleasing and structurally sound. The structure remains well-preserved, with intact roof tiles and no signs of insect damage or decay in the wooden components.

On January 13, 2017, the People’s Government of Zhejiang Province designated it as part of the Seventh Batch of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Heritage Protection Units.

Hengshan Town: Located at the junction of Hangzhou, Jinhua, and Quzhou, Hengshan Town is 20 kilometers from the county seat, covering an area of 90.7 square kilometers. It governs 39 administrative villages with a population of 32,302. National Highway 320, Provincial Highway 21, and the Hang-Xin-Jing Expressway run through the town, providing convenient transportation and favorable regional conditions. In 2005, the town achieved an industrial output value of 598.67 million yuan, agricultural output value of 131.37 million yuan, and an average rural per capita income of 4,495 yuan. … Hengshan Town Detailed Information++

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Heritage Protection Units