The Site of Shanqing Sluice (Luo Fan Pavilion)

The Site of Shanqing Sluice (Luo Fan Pavilion)

The Site of Shanqing Sluice (Luo Fan Pavilion) is a protected cultural heritage site of Zhejiang Province.

The Site of Shanqing Sluice (including Luo Fan Pavilion) is located on the Shanqing Sluice dam in downtown Jiaxing. It borders the former Jiaxing Zhongsi No. 1 Factory (later renamed Jiasi Lian Factory) to the west and north, and is 25 meters east of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal.

The year of Luo Fan Pavilion’s original construction is unknown, but according to local chronicles, it was rebuilt in the early years of Emperor Shenzong’s Xining reign during the Song Dynasty. Near the pavilion is the Shanqing Sluice, an important hydraulic structure built to regulate water flow on the ancient canal of Jiaxing. The "Song History · Treatise on Rivers and Canals" states: “In October of the first year of Emperor Shenzong’s Xining reign (1063), an imperial edict declared: ‘The three sluices at Chang’an in Hangzhou, Shanqing in Xiuzhou, and Wangting in Changzhou shall be overseen by supervisory officials responsible for river and embankment maintenance. They shall regularly collaborate with subordinate officials to inspect, repair, and reinforce the structures, and operate them by opening and closing as appropriate.’” These sluices were directly managed by imperial appointees, who had official residences constructed nearby. Luo Fan Pavilion was a scenic attraction beside these residences, serving as a leisure spot for officials and merchants. At that time, sailboats traveling from Suzhou to Jiaxing would always lower their sails upon passing this point—hence the name “Luo Fan” or “Lowering the Sail.” The pavilion was rebuilt in the sixth year of the Guangxu reign during the Qing Dynasty (1880), with the addition of the Taibai Pavilion, alongside statues of the Flower God and Sluice God. In 1921, the Jiaxing Liquor Industry Guild funded another round of renovations. The garden features exquisite rockeries, elegant pavilions, and ponds filled with fragrant lotus blossoms, creating a tranquil and beautiful landscape. The total architectural area of the garden is 2,500 square meters, and it is listed as a renowned garden in the modern publication Chronicles of Gardens in the South of the Yangtze. During the Cultural Revolution, Luo Fan Pavilion suffered severe damage, with only some rockeries and remnants such as the Taibai Pavilion surviving today. In 1988, the pavilion underwent restoration and reconstruction, covering a built-up area of approximately 200 square meters. Opposite the pavilion (one li north of the canal’s northern bank) once stood the Xiu Tomb Pavilion, believed to be the burial site of Lady Cui, the wife of Zhu Maichen from the Han Dynasty. The Peking Opera "Splashing Water Before the Horse" is based on this story. Luo Fan Pavilion is an important heritage site along the Grand Canal, holding significant historical importance and high historical value.

In January 2011, it was designated as part of the Sixth Batch of Protected Cultural Heritage Sites of Zhejiang Province.

Source: Jiaxing Cultural Relics Protection Office

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Further Reading:

· Sixth Batch of Protected Cultural Heritage Sites of Zhejiang Province