Guan Bao Ancestral Hall

Guan Bao Ancestral Hall

Guan Bao Ancestral Hall is a cultural relic protection unit of Anhui Province.

Guan Bao Ancestral Hall is located on Jiefang North Road in Yingzhou County, within Guan Zhong Park.

Guan Bao Ancestral Hall was built during the Ming Dynasty. In the sixth year of the Wanli era (1578), it was constructed by Tu Long (1542–1605), the then-county magistrate, who was also a renowned literary figure and playwright. He also authored the "Inscription Record of Guan Bao Ancestral Hall" to document the event. When Tu Long served as magistrate in Yingzhou, he observed the historical legacy of Guan and Bao but lamented the absence of a temple dedicated to them, remarking, “For thousands of years since Guan Zhong, there has been no ancestral hall in this county.” He then consulted extensively with local residents and scholars before deciding to build the Guan Bao Ancestral Hall. He “donated his salary and raised funds” to construct the hall.

After its construction, Guan Bao Ancestral Hall was destroyed during the wars at the end of the Ming Dynasty. In the twelfth year of the Chongzhen era (1639), Xueyu Wang Tinghong oversaw its reconstruction. It was later destroyed by fire during the Jiaqing era of the Qing Dynasty. In the sixth year of the Daoguang era (1826), Wanruling rebuilt it. It was once again destroyed by fire during the Xianfeng era. In the twenty-second year of the Republic of China (1933), County Magistrate Zhang Dingjia raised funds for its restoration. This shows that Guan Bao Ancestral Hall endured multiple calamities. After being destroyed and rebuilt three times, the hall still retained three main rooms at the time, housing memorial tablets for both Guan and Bao. To the south was Dasi Pond, to the east stood the “Jiuhe Bridge,” commemorating Guan Zhong’s achievement of “uniting the feudal lords nine times”; to the west of the hall was the “Siwei Bridge,” symbolizing the “four pillars of a nation: propriety, righteousness, integrity, and shame.” Southwest of the hall was Guan Zhong’s ceremonial tomb, locally known as “Guan Zhong Dun.” However, after enduring so many disasters, the Guan Bao Ancestral Hall could not escape destruction in the 1970s—it was damaged again during the Cultural Revolution, the “Jiuhe Bridge” and “Siwei Bridge” were completely lost, and the tomb was leveled to the ground.

In 1986, Guan Bao Ancestral Hall was given a new lease on life. The provincial government issued a document designating it as a “Key Cultural Relic Protection Unit of Anhui Province.” At that time, County Magistrate Zhang Xinyu placed great importance on the restoration of the hall. With government funding, the ancestral hall was rebuilt. A three-room front gate was reconstructed in front of the hall, the surrounding walls were repaired, Guan Zhong’s tomb was relocated into the hall’s compound, statues of Guan and Bao were erected in the main hall, and two ancient stone tablets were replicated and placed in front of the tomb.

Shencheng Town: Shencheng Town is a town under the jurisdiction of Yingzhou County, Anhui Province. It was established on November 8, 2005, and consists of Yinghe Township, Chengguan Town, and four administrative villages from Xiabridge Town (Shabei, Zhugang, Yangtai, and Jianggang). The town is located at the site of the Yingzhou County Party Committee and County Government, serving as the political, economic, cultural, information, and transportation hub of the entire county.

　Shencheng Town is the location of the Yingzhou County Party Committee and County Government, serving as the political, economic, cultural, information, and transportation hub of the county. The town has 14 agricultural villages, 22 communities, a population of 153,000, and covers an area of 108.8 square kilometers... More details about Shencheng Town++