Zunwentang

Zunwentang

Zunwentang is a cultural relic protection unit of Jiashan County.

Zunwentang is located at No. 3, Shipi Lane, Xiaxijie, Xijie Community, Xitang Town. Dating back to the Qing Dynasty, it is classified as an ancient architectural structure.

The main beam of the hall features a large-scale “cloth-wrapped parcel” carving — a hundred longevity patterns composed of one hundred “shou” (longevity) characters, “wan” (prosperity) characters, and bats, exquisitely ornate, richly detailed, and truly a breathtaking sight. According to research, such a perfectly preserved ancient architectural treasure is rare even across the nation.

To the east of the narrow Shipi Lane lies Zhongfutang, while to the west is Zunwentang. Although Zunwentang is not as spacious or grand as Zhongfutang in overall architecture, their layouts are quite similar — both have their main entrances facing north, and the length from the front section to the rear section differs very little.

The Hundred Longevity Beam of Zunwentang is a treasured feature of the town. The entire beam is about 5 meters long, with one hundred “shou” (longevity) characters carved in the middle forming an elongated diamond shape. It is adorned with cloud motifs that float gracefully, passing through the central holes of two copper coins on either side.

The crossbeam is supported by two cylindrical pillars shaped like the Chinese character “门” (gate), with highly distinctive carvings on their capitals. Cross-shaped pillar ornaments support the crossbeam and the longitudinal beams on both the front and back sides. Each side of the ornament is uniquely designed, featuring rarely seen auspicious patterns with delicate craftsmanship in this regional residential architecture.

The cylindrical pillars shaped like the Chinese character “门” have a diameter of about 30 centimeters. The base stones beneath them are bluestone, and below the stone drums lies a square stone, all engraved with auspicious motifs. Their structure and scale are similar to those of the main hall of Zhongfutang.

Outside the hall is a small courtyard paved with stone slabs, clean and simple in style. The courtyard is separated from Shipi Lane by just a wall, with a small tiled gateway serving as the passage. In front of the hall are ten floor-length windows, and the eave corridor connected to these windows is formed by arched rafters.

The crossbeams are carved with exquisite patterns, showing fine craftsmanship. The tiled panels between the rafters are smooth and meticulously processed. Various folk auspicious motifs are also carved on the smaller rafters beside the crossbeams.

Standing in the small courtyard and looking up, the layered eaves, ridges, and decorative fireproof horse-head walls divide the blue sky into sawtooth-edged sections — a unique scenic view among Jiangnan-style residences.

On January 7, 2004, Zunwentang was designated as a cultural relic protection unit of Jiashan County.

Xijie Community: Located in the center of Xitang Town, Xijie Community stretches from Liangzhongchang in the south to Yingxiu Bridge in the west, with the town river forming its northeastern boundary. It covers an area of 0.9 square kilometers. The community consists of 27 resident groups, with 850 registered households and a population of 1,914. The community Party general branch includes two sub-branches, with a total of 82 registered Party members and 15 in-service Party members. It provides services such as social assistance, labor security, public security mediation, and women’s rights protection. In recent years, it has been honored as a provincial-level standardized community for elderly care, a provincial-level advanced urban sports community, a provincial-level green community, and a provincial-level sports fitness club, among other recognitions. … More details about Xijie Community++