Yuting Hall in Xitang (Ming & Qing Woodcarving Museum)

Yuting Hall in Xitang (Ming & Qing Woodcarving Museum)

Yuting Hall in Xitang (Ming & Qing Woodcarving Museum) is a cultural relic protection unit of Jiashan County.

Yuting Hall in Xitang is located at No. 56 Shaogangbei Street, Tangdongjie Community, Xitang Town. Dating back to the Republican era, it is categorized as a modern historical site and representative architecture.

The Ming & Qing Woodcarving Museum displays over 250 pieces of wood carvings from residential buildings in the Jiangnan region, represented by Xitang, dating from the Ming and Qing dynasties onwards. These include beam frames, beam pads, bracket arms, spandrels, lattice windows, and more. The carving techniques are rich and varied, showcasing such skills as relief carving, incised carving, openwork carving, and pierced carving, each demonstrating exceptional craftsmanship. The patterns are elegant, neat, delicate, and aesthetically pleasing, collectively highlighting the unique grace, delicacy, freshness, and splendor characteristic of Jiangnan residential woodcarvings.

On June 7, 2010, Yuting Hall in Xitang was designated as a cultural relic protection unit of Jiashan County.

Xitang Town: Xitang, anciently known as Xietang, was established as a market town during the Ming Dynasty, bordering Yong’an and Qianshan townships. Initially named Xietang, it was later called Xitang. Legend has it that during the Spring and Autumn Period, Wu Zixu stationed troops here and dug the Wuzitang canal to improve water conservancy, diverting water from Xushan Mountain directly into the area—hence it is also known as Xutang. Xitang Town is located in the northern part of Jiashan County, at the junction of three provinces and cities — Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang — enjoying a strategically superior geographical location, often referred to as “the corner of Wu and Yue.” It lies 90 km east of Shanghai, 110 km west of Hangzhou, 85 km north of Suzhou, and 9 km south of Jiashan County seat. The central urban area’s coordinates are 120°53′ east longitude and 30°56′ north latitude. With both waterway and land transport... More details about Xitang Town++