Hexagonal Tower

Hexagonal Tower

Hexagonal Tower is a cultural relic protection unit of Anhui Province.

The village gate pavilion of the Cui family in Gantang was built to guard the feng shui of Moon Bay River, featuring a Lock Bridge and a Key Bridge, both secured with iron chains and stone posts. During the Wanli era (1573–1619) of the Ming Dynasty, Cui Xian funded the construction using blueprints brought back by artisan Bi Chang, who had worked on Beijing’s imperial palace. Originally octagonal, its 17 bluestone reliefs were created by artisans from Qingyang. After being destroyed by fire, it was rebuilt in the fourth year of the Chongzhen era (1631) of the Ming Dynasty by Cui Yingzhao and redesigned as a hexagon—hence its common name “Hexagonal Tower.” It was renovated again in the eighth year of the Jiaqing era (1803) and the eighth year of the Guangxu era (1882) of the Qing Dynasty, as well as in the early years of the Republic of China.

In 1981 and 2001, the Anhui Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau and the Huangshan District People’s Government allocated funds for major renovations. In July 1984, the Huangshan City (formerly Taiping County) People’s Government designated it as a county-level key cultural relic protection unit. In May 1989, the Anhui Provincial People’s Government listed it as a provincial-level key cultural relic protection unit.