Jiangning Guild Hall

Jiangning Guild Hall

The Jiangning Guild Hall is a cultural relic protection unit of Anhui Province.

The Jiangning Guild Hall is located on the north-central side of Guquan Road in Bozhou City. It was jointly funded and reconstructed by Nanjing medicinal herb merchants in the 12th year of the Jiaqing reign during the Qing Dynasty (1807) on the foundation of the Yuanchue Temple (which had been managed and used by Nanjing merchants since the Kangxi period) and served functions such as worshiping deities, praying for blessings and wealth, exchanging information, conducting business activities, facilitating daily life, and providing entertainment and leisure.

The guild hall faces south with its back to the north, built with blue bricks and grey tiles. The surviving structures include the mountain gate, theater stage, auxiliary buildings, bell tower, drum tower, viewing pavilions, main hall, and side halls—totaling 52 rooms. The mountain gate has three bays, with the central bay’s main gate featuring a brick-carved plaque inscribed with

the four large characters “Jiangning Guild Hall.” The plaques on the east and west side bays are inlaid with stone-carved characters reading

“Zhongshan” and “Fenxiu,” symbolizing the transfer of the beauty of Zhongshan to Bozhou. Upon entering the mountain gate, you will see the theater stage, which stands opposite the main hall along the north-south axis. The stage projects forward, is made of wood, and features painted screens depicting

the “Two Dragons Playing with a Pearl” design. Above it hangs

a plaque inscribed with “Grace Connecting Zhongshan.” The entire theater stage architecture blends northern and southern styles, presenting an elegant and graceful appearance. The viewing pavilions and bell and drum towers are arranged on the east and west sides respectively, with winding eaves corridors forming an ancient-style courtyard that showcases distinctive local characteristics of Bozhou. The Jiangning Guild Hall holds significant value for the study of early Qing Dynasty architectural art, religion, and commerce. In May 1989, it was designated as a provincial-level key cultural relic protection unit by the People's Government of Anhui Province.