Cangqian Granary

Cangqian Granary

Cangqian Granary is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Cangqian Granary is located in Lingyuan Village, Cangqian Subdistrict, Yuhang, south of the Yuhang Pond River. Originally established in the second year of the Shaoxing era (1132) during the Southern Song Dynasty as the Lin’an People’s Granary to prepare for famine relief.

It currently consists of four standalone buildings, all facing south, covering an area of 1,661 square meters. Two of them are traditional wooden structures used as granaries—known as building-style granaries. In the 1960s, two additional single-story bungalows were added following the Soviet model, known as Soviet-style granaries. It was among the first national-level granaries certified as “pest-free, mold-free, rodent-free, and bird-free.”

Cangqian Granary Selected as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit

The early granaries originated from the Lin’an People’s Granary of the Southern Song Dynasty. The “Yuhang County Annals · Granaries” from the Jiaqing era of the Qing Dynasty recorded: “The Lin’an People’s Granary, located ten li east of the county, is now called the area Cangqian.” Lin’an was the name of Hangzhou during the Southern Song Dynasty, while Yuhang was a subordinate county. Cangqian was under the jurisdiction of Yuhang County, situated to the east of the county seat. The People’s Granary was used to store grain for famine relief efforts by the imperial court. Cangqian, originally named Lingyuan, has long been a famous rice-producing region with abundant grain resources. The Yuhang Pond River, a tributary of the Grand Canal, runs through it, providing convenient transport and proximity to Hangzhou, allowing swift access when needed. The Southern Song imperial court valued its unique advantages and thus built a granary north of Lingyuan Street, naming it the “Lin’an People’s Granary.” Constructed in the second year of the Shaoxing era (1132 AD), the granary comprised 60 storage bins, 18 office halls, and surrounding walls totaling 250 zhang (approx. 833 meters), making it quite sizable. Since ancient times, the southern side was referred to as “front,” and as Lingyuan Street was located in front of the granary, local people gradually came to call Lingyuan Street “Cangqian.” Over time, the original place name Lingyuan was replaced by “Cangqian”—the origin of today’s Cangqian.

With the passage of history, the Lin’an People’s Granary no longer exists. The current Cangqian Granary is situated at the eastern end of Old Cangqian Street along the Yuhang Pond River, facing south. It consists of four standalone granary buildings. Two of the older ones were built in the ninth year of the Daoguang era (1829 AD), dating back nearly 200 years; the two newer ones were constructed in 1957 and 1963. The 1957 building was designed according to plans by Soviet experts, commonly referred to as a “Soviet-style granary,” and was among the first group of new-style brick-and-tile granaries with asphalt flooring in Yuhang County. The four granaries cover a total area of 1,661 square meters, and including courtyards, corridors, and storage areas, the entire complex spans 3,500 square meters. The warehouse interiors feature white walls and dark tiles, while the courtyards and gardens include rockeries, small bridges, and lush greenery, offering a unique charm.

Among the four granaries, the most rare are the two older ones. These are three-bay, two-courtyard wooden structures, each with two inner courtyards at the front and rear. The main entrance of the old granaries faces directly toward the Yuhang Pond River, where there is also a boat dock for grain transport vessels. Stepping through the entrance, the courtyard is paved with bluestone, and the main and secondary halls have been converted into grain storage spaces with clean white board walls. Under the eaves, there are exquisitely carved wooden brackets. The connecting passageway between the two old granaries features a central courtyard where rainwater converges—a serene and elegant design typical of traditional Jiangnan residential architecture from the Qing Dynasty.

In May 2013, the State Council (State Council Document [2013] No. 13) designated Cangqian Granary as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Lingyuan Village: Lingyuan Village is the political, cultural, and economic hub of Cangqian Subdistrict and the location of the Cangqian Subdistrict Office. It lies 15 kilometers from downtown Hangzhou, with the Xuancheng-Hangzhou Railway and the Grand Canal crossing through the village. Wen Yi Road Extension and East-West Avenue are nearby, ensuring convenient water and land transportation. The village covers a total area of 5.3 square kilometers, with 3,336 acres of paddy fields, 42 villager groups, 1,073 households, and 4,283 residents, including 183 Communist Party members, 53 League members, and an average per capita income of 18,828 yuan. The village’s collective disposable income is 760,000 yuan. Tap water coverage is 100% among farmers… More details about Lingyuan Village++

Further Reading:

· Sixth Batch of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units